The Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School has added another centre to its operations. It is called D.O.V.E. 2 which is comfortably located in Auckland House, the Law Building of Joyce Kentish & Associates in The Farrington. It is the school’s third off-campus venue. The acronym, D.O.V.E. stands for Developing Our Vision for Education.”
The other centrea are W.I.S.E. (Workshop Initiative for Support in Education) located in the Old Cottage Hospital Building in The Upper Valley, and Campus C located in The Quarter. Both cater to children with certain behavioural and learning challenges.
Lead Teacher at D.O.V.E. 2, Ms. Celestine John, said its establishment was “physical proof of the Anguilla Government’s commitment to cater to the educational needs of all children of compulsory school age regardless of background, ethnicity or ability.”
She continued: “D.O.V.E. 2 was an initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Education and spearheaded by our past Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Chanelle Petty Barrett. I am using this forum to publicly thank her for all the hard work and effort she put into ensuring that the centre became a reality. Her concern and enthusiasm were major driving forces in the establishment of this centre. Thank you, Mrs. Petty Barrett.”
Addressing the newly-appointed Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bonnie Richardson Lake, Ms. John stated: “We strongly believe that you possess the same passion and enthusiasm and that you too are determined to do whatever you can, in your power, to ensure that this centre and its students continue to strive.”
Ms. John said that D.O.V.E. 2 was an extension of the D.O.V.E. programme which was started at the Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School at West End where the Lead Teacher is Mrs. Violet Martin. She described D.O.V.E. 2 as having been designed “to cater for the specific and varying needs of children of secondary school age who are experiencing severe or multiple development delays. Students enrolled in D.O.V.E. 2 follow a programme of activities designed to assist them in functional life skills. This programme is delivered by skilled nurturing staff in a safe and secure environment.”
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Richardson-Lake, joined in thanking Mrs. Petty Barrett and other education officials for their efforts, and pledged to lend her own support and passion to the D.O.V.E. programme as well.
Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Rhonda Connor, reported that there were now seven special education centres in the schools in Anguilla. She was grateful to Ms. Jacqueline Jeffrey-Connor (Education Officer, Multi-Professional Support Services) whom she described as “the driving force” behind the D.O.V.E. programme. She was also grateful to Mrs. Petty Barrett, Mrs. Dawn Reid (Educator Planner); and Teacher Violet Martin for their work.
Mrs. Jeffrey-Connor said the D.O.V.E. programme was established in 2012 under the direction of a Steering Committee and pioneered by Teacher Violet Martin. “This programme was established to serve children with severe mobility and communication difficulties.
Mrs. Renuka Harrigan, of the Arijah Foundation, and an associate of the D.O.V.E. programme, gave a rundown of her work and made a presentation to Mrs. Petty Barrett for her support over the years.
Principal of the Comprehensive School, Mrs. Joyce Webster-Stuart, said in part: “I have been blessed on occasions to spend some time here at this centre with the students and teachers. I can assure parents that your children are taught with the love and dedication of a committed staff. Regardless of their abilities or challenges, there are some basic needs that children everywhere have in common. They have need for love, care, nurturing and for interacting with other children and adults outside of their immediate family unit. It gives me joy to know that there is a physical space where our most vulnerable children can identify with in their own way as a school.”
Mrs. Webster-Stuart, who taught Special Education classes for children with learning disabilities in the United States for seven years, further stated: “It is a blessing not only for the children and their families, but for the people who work with them. I thank those of you who work with our students at this centre because I know you are blessed as well.”
The ribbon to D.O.V.E. 2 was cut by the Permanent Secretary, Education, Dr. Richardson-Lake – and the Principal of the Comprehensive School, Mrs. Webster-Stuart, assisted by the Lead Teacher, Ms. Celestine John.
