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Speid proud of Port Royal Primary
Published: Thursday | October 13, 2011 0 Comments
Speid
Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporter PRINCIPAL OF Port Royal Primary and Infant [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]School[/COLOR][/COLOR] in east Kingston, Owen Speid, said he is making strides in improving the standards of the institution, but is disappointed with the limited parental support, which is grossly affecting the school.
Speid, who has been principal at the school since 2007, said he inherited an institution that was underperforming, but his hard work and dedication have helped him to reap success.
"There is a report that I came upon recently that stated that in 1999, the children ingrades seven to nine were reading at sixth-grade levels or below. It also said that 25 per cent of the children in grades three to six were reading at the infant level, and it is a trend that continued," Speid argued.
He added, "When I came here I only saw one [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]student[/COLOR][/COLOR] who was up to standard for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), but there were three more who were of age so we couldn't prevent them," he said.
25 per cent improvement
The 22-year veteran educator said with his drive to have an A-class primary school, he can now boast about a more than 25 per cent improvement in the literacy rate, which has pushed the school in the top five in Kingston.
He also disclosed that there has been an improvement in the GSAT.
"I worked with the grade-six students. I did extra lessons with them, because I wanted to see improvement. This is the first year I don't take the grade-six class, because I need time to supervise other things at the school, but if I have to do extra lessons with them I will. I continue to monitor them, and if is even to take a few of them who I know can really push and run with them," he told The Gleaner.
The principal revealed that he was able to replace some members of the staff who were not up to standard.
"One of the things that we do here is hold persons responsible. The teaching of some [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]teachers[/COLOR][/COLOR] was poor and we have addressed that. About two-thirds of the staff is no longer here," he said.
Speid argued: "We do an appraisal annually, and when they are weak we give them a chance to improve by sending them to workshops. We have people come in and talk to them, but if they don't improve then we just have to cut them."
Speid said he is aiming for full literacy by 2012, ahead of the Ministry of Education's [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]target[/COLOR][/COLOR] of 2015, but the parents need to work with the school.
"Some of the parents are not interested in their children. If we have anything at school they don't support it, when we call a PTA meeting, sometimes five, sometimes 10, sometimes nobody turn up. Children will come to school without any homework, that is the type of parenting that we see," he lamented.
nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com
Speid proud of Port Royal Primary
Published: Thursday | October 13, 2011 0 Comments
Speid
Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporter PRINCIPAL OF Port Royal Primary and Infant [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]School[/COLOR][/COLOR] in east Kingston, Owen Speid, said he is making strides in improving the standards of the institution, but is disappointed with the limited parental support, which is grossly affecting the school.
Speid, who has been principal at the school since 2007, said he inherited an institution that was underperforming, but his hard work and dedication have helped him to reap success.
"There is a report that I came upon recently that stated that in 1999, the children ingrades seven to nine were reading at sixth-grade levels or below. It also said that 25 per cent of the children in grades three to six were reading at the infant level, and it is a trend that continued," Speid argued.
He added, "When I came here I only saw one [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]student[/COLOR][/COLOR] who was up to standard for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), but there were three more who were of age so we couldn't prevent them," he said.
25 per cent improvement
The 22-year veteran educator said with his drive to have an A-class primary school, he can now boast about a more than 25 per cent improvement in the literacy rate, which has pushed the school in the top five in Kingston.
He also disclosed that there has been an improvement in the GSAT.
"I worked with the grade-six students. I did extra lessons with them, because I wanted to see improvement. This is the first year I don't take the grade-six class, because I need time to supervise other things at the school, but if I have to do extra lessons with them I will. I continue to monitor them, and if is even to take a few of them who I know can really push and run with them," he told The Gleaner.
The principal revealed that he was able to replace some members of the staff who were not up to standard.
"One of the things that we do here is hold persons responsible. The teaching of some [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]teachers[/COLOR][/COLOR] was poor and we have addressed that. About two-thirds of the staff is no longer here," he said.
Speid argued: "We do an appraisal annually, and when they are weak we give them a chance to improve by sending them to workshops. We have people come in and talk to them, but if they don't improve then we just have to cut them."
Speid said he is aiming for full literacy by 2012, ahead of the Ministry of Education's [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]target[/COLOR][/COLOR] of 2015, but the parents need to work with the school.
"Some of the parents are not interested in their children. If we have anything at school they don't support it, when we call a PTA meeting, sometimes five, sometimes 10, sometimes nobody turn up. Children will come to school without any homework, that is the type of parenting that we see," he lamented.
nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com
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