The Teacher Dorothy Hughes Awards Ceremony, now in its 4th year was held on Wednesday, 25th November, 2015 at the Bethel Methodist Church in South Hill. Mrs. Tamara Pradel, the Adrian T. Hazell School’s Link Officer chaired the Ceremony. Teacher Marian Abbott gave the welcome and brief remarks, while Teacher Electra Carty-Buddle and her Grade Five students captivated the audience with a special selection entitled, ‘To Believe’. On behalf of the Hughes family, Dr. Franklin Hughes addressed the awardees and encouraged them to work hard and maximise their potential. Teacher Dorothy Hazell and Teacher Bonetta Lashley assisted Teacher Chanicia Buchanan with the distribution of certificates, medals, pencils and pens.
For the first time, an Honour System was introduced where students’ achievements were categorised as First, Second or Third Class. The staff is pleased that 65% of the student population was awarded for varying levels of reading success. The staff is equally pleased that 61% of the students have achieved First Class Honours, while 25% received Second Class Honours and 14% Third Class Honours. This trend is in keeping with the school’s mandate of ensuring success in reading which will undoubtedly reflect in all subject areas.
The Improvement in Reading Award highlighted students in grades 4-6 who have shown improvement in their reading, although they have not attained the required Reading Age level. The award seeks to strengthen the fact that improvement over time can definitely lead to success. Hence, it aims to celebrate the value added by our children on their road to success. 27 out of 47 children who fell into this category improved ( 57% ).
Nationally, students of Grades 3, 5 and 6 were tested in Language, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. From the data, 42% of the academic awards presented were for performances of between 65%-100%, while 58% were for performances between 50%-64%. As a staff and as a school this information is pertinent for setting achievable targets for each academic year.
The Teacher Dorothy Hughes Awards’ Ceremony is an important event on the School’s calendar. While it continues to showcase our students, it also demonstrates the continued support of the Hughes Family.
Teacher Janice Connor gave the vote of thanks. This was Teacher Janice’s last time attending such an award ceremony as a teacher. She retires at the end of the school year with over forty years teaching experience. The principal and staff extend sincere thanks and appreciation to Teacher Janice for her contribution to the school in particular and to education in general
-Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
