Janelle Christie
The Newstead Primary School in Cascade, St Mary, continues to show “Excellence Through Discipline and Hard Work”.
The members of staff and grade six students at the rural St Mary school, near the St Ann border, are in celebratory mode following this year’s Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results.
Ten students were entered as candidates for the March examination from this school. Of that number, nine were placed at one of their five choices of schools, 70% of which are traditional high schools.
The overall average is 68.08%, which is a significant increase, in comparison to last year’s 54.98%.
Head girl and head boy, 12-year-old Aneka Spence and 11-year-old Devontae Grant were the top students.
Aneka, who was placed at the Westwood High school, says her parents Joan Wilson and Andrew Spence and her teachers served as her motivation going into the examinations. With an average of 87.9%, Aneka aspires to become an air hostess or a teacher.
Future footballer or doctor, Devontae was placed at the Calabar High School, St Andrew. He told The Times that he was greatly inspired by his mother Glenda Dorah. He obtained an average of 89.9.
Grade six teacher Shavon Green says he was not surprised by the passes as “these students were easier to work with and they have a competitive spirit to be on top of the class.”
Like Mr Green, principal Clovis Menzie was expecting great things from this batch of students.
Even though the school is happy with the GSAT results it is concerned about other things that hold it back. Mr Menzie, who was appointed principal of Newstead Primary School in the latter part of 2014 expressed some of his concerns to The Times.
He says at that time there were 96 students on roll and says he has realized that for about ten years “the enrollment has been falling consistently”. There are now 82 students at the school. This, he says, parents blame on issues like a lack of transportation. Mr Menzie on the other hand believes that “it doesn’t matter where a school is if it satisfies the need of persons around.”
He says according to information he has received, the school at one point in time was working with a shift system as a result of larger numbers. Not only were the numbers high but students travelled as far as Port Maria to attend the Newstead Primary School. He also said that, based on the information he has, students were actively involved in sports.
Aware of the challenges facing the school, the five members of staff have been working towards revitalizing some of the school’s extra-curricular activities. Since 2014, they have established a music programme and a 4H club. Mr Menzie says “since then we have been making steady progress as it relates to overall scores in the national exams namely Grade Four Literacy and Numeracy and the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT)”.
According to Mr Menzie, this year’s enrollment of 20 grade one students was the highest in eight years. However before having a trained teacher as a volunteer grade two teacher, the grade one teacher was responsible for both grades.
Mr Menzie says he thinks parents should start evaluating the school, what they have to offer and their achievements “and then you can make a decision if this is a place that you want your child to come”. He added that “academics is not the only thing we achieve in, we achieve in extra-curricular activities… and the indiscipline is at a very minimal level.” He also encouraged the parents of the current students to work their children.
Based on a micro 2014-2015 assessment that was done, Mr Menzie said it was concluded that the students at that school were “under exposed”. With that in mind, students were then offered the opportunity to participate in competitions inside and outside of the school.
They have since performed at JCDC festivals and have also entered 4-H competitions for which they were placed first over other primary and secondary schools. Other events in which they participate include sports and Math Olympiad.
Mr Menzie said the students stayed motivated even after not succeeding at their first attempt at some competitions and that is what contributed to their accomplishments today.
The school and students have been awarded trophies, gold, silver and bronze medals for their work in the various competition. Newstead Primary is hoping that they will continue to have a steady intake for years to come.
