In her Speech Night report on December 6, Principal of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, Ingrid Lake, outlined a number of challenges and recommendations which, if addressed, can bring about a better school year in 2008.

Deputy Governor and wife, William Vanterpool, Hubert and Albert Hughes

Some of the challenges she identified involved students’ attendance, punctuality and discipline. She made the point that most of the students were pleasant, cooperative and well-behaved. These are the students who have excelled in examinations, are involved in various extra-curricular activities and are upholding the general principles and good name of the school.

Principal Ingrid Lake

Mrs. Lake however painted a disturbing picture of a number of other students. “Unfortunately, there are still pockets of students in each of the year groups who continue to label the school with their anti-social behaviour,” she stated. “Incidents of truancy, bullying, fighting, use of marijuana and blatant us of indecent language continue to be a daily routine for this group which exhibits little or no interest in formal education. Attempts to assist them to improve attitudes and behaviour through counselling, parental conferences and referrals have been made.”

In listing the challenges facing the school, the Principal said:

“Myriad problems hamper the efficiency of the teaching/learning environment. These include but are not limited to:

• The lackadaisical approach of many of our students to formal education evidenced by the persistent failure to purchase and/or bring textbooks to school and to complete class and home assignments.

• The ongoing conflict of gang-related groups. One can easily surmise that persons involved in these groups come to school with the primary purpose of disturbing the peace and creating chaos.

• The increasing number of students who are engaged in the use of an illegal substance (marijuana).

Proud parents and others

• The inability of some teachers to manage classes and to effectively plan and execute lessons.

• The indifference of some parents demonstrated by either their unwillingness and/or inability to monitor their children’s progress.

• The unavailability of personnel to serve as substitute teachers.”

Mrs Lake said that if there were to be improvements at the school it was imperative that the following six recommendations should be adhered to:

Teachers and others

• Senior and Middle Managers should engage more fully in activities to monitor the teaching/learning process. Increased teacher observation and work scrutiny must ensure that there is more effective planning and delivery of curriculum; that students’ work is corrected in a timely manner and on a regular basis and that adequate feedback is provided to support improvement.

• Teachers need to assume greater ownership of rooms and utilise more extensively skills acquired from workshops.

• Mandatory drug-testing should be instituted and consideration be given to the establishment of a drug rehabilitation centre.

• A home of care and protection should be established for students at risk.

• Government should ensure that there is proper and adequate supervision of buildings under construction.

• A Facility/Maintenance Officer needs to be appointed to ensure repair work is done in a timely manner.

Mrs. Lake acknowledged at the conclusion to her Speech Night Report that school management was a difficult and complex task and that it was becoming even more difficult as a result of the socio-economic development.

Music Teacher, Daphne Jacobs and student musicians

“While the success of any school is determined by a variety of factors, too often the performance of the teacher becomes the only critical factor.” She went on. “We need to mindful of the Anguillian psyche which has indirectly and directly informed students that formal education is unimportant. School climate, the nature of leadership and management, parental attitudes and the relationship with the community are all contributing variables.”

The Speech Night programme, chaired by William Vanterpool, Director of Agriculture, was well attended by Elected Representatives and other officials and many persons from throughout the island. Before and after the Principal’s report they were treated with various selections by the School’s Choir, Concert Band, Steel Orchestra and other renditions.

Some 130 students received awards for outstanding academic performance during the past school year. Another 27 students were awarded for outstanding athletic performance.

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