The new principal of the Combermere School is challenging the 187 new students to add more value to the Waterford, St Michael institution.
On Wednesday during the orientation ceremony in the school’s hall, principal Julia Beckles told those in the audience that Combermere was known as a centre of excellence and she wanted the new enrollees to take the school’s track record to higher heights.
“To the students . . . you have a responsibility to ensure that you add value to the richness that is Combermere. All that you do, all that you say, the way you comport yourself generally must add credit to this institution. So we have many expectations of you . . .,” she said.
Beckles also encouraged the parents and guardians that they had a key role to play in their wards’ development and it was expected that where necessary, they would step up to the plate and contribute to their secondary schooling.
She also encouraged them to join the school’s parent-teachers association, noting that the cooperation of parents ensured that each child had the best learning environment.
After the official addresses, the enrollees, parents and guardians were treated to an exhibition where the heads of various departments and students set up booths with displays to give them a taste of the school experience at Combermere.
There were also showcases by the school’s football, athletics and road tennis teams; an interactive session to highlight the school’s robotics programme; musical performances; and other engaging activities put on by various school clubs.
Beckles, who was the immediate past principal at The Alleyne School for more than a decade, said she wanted to do something different and fun.
She said that during her stint at Combermere she wanted to focus on developing a work environment where everyone was “happy” to report for duty, adding that she also wanted to help develop other leaders among the teaching and
non-teaching staff. (SZB)
