A Statement from the Board of Trustees
On Tuesday May 2, 2017, a massive fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a major portion of our physical plant facility. The quick response from our maintenance, administrative and academic staff, the fire departments from St Ann and Trelawny, the police, as well as citizens of the community, limited the damage to just the dining room and kitchen. Even as we bemoan the total loss of all our kitchen equipment, our storage facilities and our dining room furnishings, we are grateful that there was NO injury or loss of life. We are extremely grateful to all these persons for their help and support in making this possible.
Westwood is a boarding institution and consequently, with the loss of our cooking facility, we had to put contingency plans in place so that our students who are completing their exams would be minimally impacted. We are now completing plans for full and complete resumption of all phases of the school’s operation by Monday, May 15, 2017.
Since the fire, we have had calls and visits from the Ministry of Education, the press corps, parents, members of the board, church leaders from our school Trust, concerned citizens, friends from corporate Jamaica, the school alumni; with theses visits have come offers and assurances of help to get us ‘back on our feet’. The Westwood family offers our thanks to the entire Jamaican population as well as the wider diaspora for their expressions of concern and their promise of support. We are currently putting together a list of items that we will need, both short and long term and will publish this list in due course.
In the meantime, of IMMEDIATE need is ‘lots and lots’ of tableware for the serving of meals and so we would appreciate all possible donations of that nature.
One of the frequently asked questions is, ‘where can cash donations be made to assist our rebuilding efforts? We are pleased to advise of the following options:
Westwood High School Acct. # 000003611 @ BNS Brown’s Town
Westwood Olds Girls Ass. Acct # 255718, BNS Liguanea
Westwood Foundation Acct.# 064519174 @ NCB Duke Street
Our Finance and Maintenance Committees are fully operational and totally committed to the rebuilding of a new ‘state of the art’ kitchen and dining facilities for the opening of school for the new school year in September. Yes, out of these ashes will emerge a new and modern dining facility to grace the Westwood’s landscape.
To all those who have journeyed with us thus far, our deepest appreciation and sincerest gratitude and those who are yet to share in this vision, this is an open invitation to join our team as together we celebrate 135 years of educational excellence in fine style.
The school’s contact numbers are 612 0052 and 612 0311 and the email is westwoodhigh1882@yahoo.com.
Board of Trustees
Westwood High School
Trelawny
