Almost an entire career at Breadnut Hill Primary, leaving it as a choice school
Sugar Ray Thomas
With over three decades of sterling service in the education sector, Rose Gowie-McLean has contributed immensely to the development of the education system at Breadnut Hill Primary School in St Ann. She has been instrumental in molding the minds of several children at the most critical juncture in their educational journey at grade one at the institution she has served since 1980.
Mrs Gowie-McLean’s life has been one that has involved her growing up from humble beginnings in Keith, St Ann, becoming a teacher and later principal of the institution for 10 years.
“My best years of teaching were in the classroom. I got more satisfaction from that, because you would see what the children were doing and you would see what they have become. I’ve taught several children who have become lawyers, doctors and any professional area you can think of,” explained Mrs Gowie-McLean in an interview with The Times.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Born Rose Gowie in Keith, St Ann, she received her early education at Keith All Age School. “I grew up with my mom and stepfather, five brothers and a sister. I grew up in a humble Christian home, where we did not have much, but my parents taught us Christian principles and the value of getting a good education,” she pointed out.
She went on to pass 12 Jamaica School Certificate (JSC) subjects.
“My mother, Eleth Codner, wanted me to become a dressmaker at that time. But I wanted to become a teacher or a nurse,” she added, while noting that she reassured her mother that she would make a way for her to pursue her dream career.
Through a recommendation by a post mistress, Ruby Duhaney-McKenzie, Rose Gowie became a telegraph clerk in Stewart Town, Trelawny.
She shifted into education with employment as a pre-trained teacher at Keith All Age School, for two years.
After that she enrolled at Shortwood Teacher’s College, graduating in 1980 after internship at the Barking Lodge Primary School in St. Thomas.
“It was a good year that had its challenges,” she recounted, while adding that she remembered impacting the lives of two students Anthony Pearcy and Evelyn Grant while there.
THE BREADNUT HILL STORY
Mrs Gowie-McLean entered the profession officially as a trained teacher in 1980 and began what had been a 35-year association with Breadnut Hill Primary School.
Her tenure saw her teaching grades five, three and six, but she spent most of her teaching career at grade one.
“I told myself that I rather to teach grade one, than to teach grade six and retire being stressed,” Mrs Gowie-McLean said, with a laugh.
She noted that the parents were very supportive of her as a teacher. Mrs Gowie-McLean was also active in other facets of the school life, before assuming the leadership position of the school. She was a canteen, house and bank coordinator.
She improved on her teacher’s certificate with a diploma in Primary Education from Moneague Teacher’s College in 1991, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Guidance and Counselling from the International University of the Caribbean (IUC) in 2003, and a diploma in School Management from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2006.
STEWARDSHIP AS PRINCIPAL
In 2004, Mrs Gowie-McLean was set to be elevated to the position of vice- principal. However, when the then principal of Breadnut Hill Primary, Werrickford Grant left, she was ushered into the role of principal.
“When I took over there as principal, the school population moved from 255 students to 322 students,” Mrs Gowie-McLean noted.
Under her stewardship, Breadnut Hill Primary School became one of the primary schools of choice in St Ann. The literacy rates of the students improved significantly and this saw 14 students one year achieving 100 percent grade in Communication Studies in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
There were also the construction of a computer room and donations of eight computers made by a team called ‘Friends of Oregon’ from the USA. In addition, she managed to acquire internet services and a multi-equipped printer for the school.
There was also renovation of bathroom and kitchen facilities for the school. Mrs Gowie-McLean also recognized the importance of extra-curricular activities in the lives of the children and got the school actively involved in JCDC competitions, in areas such as dance and assisted in organizing literacy competitions at the school.
Mrs Gowie-McLean continued her role in helping to improve the academic standards at the school with the introduction of the Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Teacher Training (CCETT) programme at the school.
During her tenure, there were challenges, but Mrs Gowie-McLean credited three teachers who were a tower of strength to her on her journey. These teachers were: Farona Freemantle, Ellen Garvey-Kelly and Dorothy Walford. She also thanked the other staff members for their support during her time there.
The humanitarian quality of Mrs Gowie-McLean was evident when she took in several children whose parents could not have afforded to take care of them.
Her hard work and dedication to education has not gone unrecognized as she has received several awards and accolades. Among those are, a special award from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) for contact teacher for 10 years, the JTA’s Golden Torch award in 2012, special award from the Breadnut Hill Primary School for dedicated and outstanding service to the school in 2008 and another from the Guidance Department of the school in 2014.
In July 2015, Mrs Gowie McLean retired from the institution leaving a legacy that is unmatched in the school’s history and development.
On April 7, she was recognized once again by the school for her 35 years of service in helping the school in its academic achievement.
STILL CONTINUING TO HELP
Mrs Gowie-McLean resides in Colegate, St Ann and though you would have thought she would have retired and enjoyed spending time relaxing, she has taken on the task of helping a child at the Colegate Basic School, where she is a member of the school’s board. “I am still thinking about what I can do to help students of the basic school and the community,” she added.
She supports the new principal of Breadnut Hill Primary School, Ricardo Kennedy offering advice when it is needed.
Mrs Gowie-McLean has one daughter Swayanne Holgate and a granddaughter, Jadyn Geraghty, who both resides in England.
She is happily married to Manty McLean.
She is an active member of the Colegate Baptist Church, where she is a treasurer; Sunday school teacher and secretary of the Women’s Federation. She has received an award for her outstanding service as a secretary to the Colegate group from the St. Ann’s Baptist Women’s Federation in 2014.
She is a member of the Alpha Deita Kappa (ADK), a group that comprises mostly retired female educators. For leisure, Mrs Gowie-McLean enjoys cooking, exploring the internet, travelling and socializing with her friends.
Rose M. Gowie McLean had some advice for potential teachers and young teachers entering into the profession. “They should try to model teachers who have been a tower of strength to them. They need to be firm in the classroom, but loving and not treat any child better than the other… You have to remember that you are not there for the money, because there is no money in teaching. You have to be strong and work hard,” she explained.
