On Friday 1st September, 2023, the Department of Education hosted a Welcome Back-to-School ceremony for its teachers at the Royal Caribbean Hotel. Apart from welcoming the teachers back to their classrooms after the summer vacation, the event, dubbed ‘Ignite My Spark’, also provided a means of sensitizing the teachers to their priorities for the 2023/2024 school year.
The invocation was offered by Dr. Bishop Samuel Daniel who offered up a passionate prayer on behalf of the entire school community including the teachers, students and their parents.
Welcome remarks were given by Chief Education Officer, Mr. Bren Romney. “Allow me on behalf of the Department of Education to welcome you all back to a new academic year,” he said. “It is always a pleasure to welcome those who are just joining our faculty to work in various administrative, teaching and support capacities for the first time,” he said.
He then welcomed all those who recently joined the educators’ fraternity. In the Primary School sector he recognized Teacher, Daneice Hodge; Graduate Teacher, Marquita Hutchinson-Mills; Counselor, Rodwell Grant; Assistant Teacher, Karen Reid; Assistant Teacher, Alvanique Frank; Assistant Teacher, Tonya James-Jackson; Assistant Teacher, Kyla Freeman; and Assistant Teacher, Javincia Brooks. Former Assistant Teacher, Jonisha Johnson, was congratulated for her promotion to the post of Teacher.
At Secondary level, Design Technology Teacher Aaivor Adams was welcomed, as well as Special Education Needs Coordinator, Selina Miambo; Teacher, Jerica Crawford, Special Needs Teacher, Gladys Bueno; Teacher, Sarah Scarborough; Assistant Teacher, Mikaylah Connor; and Assistant Teacher, Amelia Olivacce.
Mr. Romney also welcomed a number of substitute teachers into the system, including Teacher, Jayashree Murray; Teacher, Jaheim Haywood; Teacher, Carlington Dennis; Teacher, Candis Mkoba. He mentioned Teachers Glenisha Franklin and Mikeela Skellekie who have been promoted to the post of Counselors.
In addition, he recognized and thanked teachers who had retired but who had agreed to return to assist as continuing educators. These included Math Teacher, Calvin Ruan; Physical Education Teacher, Doreen Richardson; Special Needs Teacher, Joan Fleming.
The CEO also thanked retired Careers Counselor, Anita Martin-Ruan, for her faithful, longstanding tenure of service at the school. She will be replaced by Jacintha Crawford.
He congratulated four teachers who had been studying in the UK – Neil Gumbs, Jevohn Martin, Verlyndah Rogers-Hodge; and Telica Mussington for achieving their Masters Degrees. They will be returning to teaching by early October.
The Honorable Minister of Education, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, addressed the gathering, stating that the single most important factor that determines how well students succeed in a classroom is the teaching experience. She said that this supersedes all of the availability of textbooks, technology and other resource material.
“I have tried to understand what leads to a better quality teaching experience,” she said. “I have done some research lately and found that some of these are teacher training, teacher strategies, improved school environment and the like.”
“I have learned that the way we keep teachers satisfied has to do with five factors,” the Education Minister said. “1. open and Transparent Communication; 2. teacher autonomy; 3. clear and consistent application of rules; 4. a supportive school environment; and reliable and supportive school leaders.”
She said that from the Ministerial level, if she were to focus on providing these five conditions with immediacy, then a better education system would be built.
“And even though we are here today to thank you for doing what you have done and to inspire you to keep on working in laying the foundation for Anguilla’s future – since what you do the single most important factor that leads to our children’s success – if it is necessary for us to change the way that we do things, then this is what we are committed to do in order to achieve the desired goal,” Ms. Kentish-Rogers declared.
Other speakers at the welcome-back ceremony included President of the Early Childhood Association, Ms. Alietha Richardson, who spoke primarily on the appropriateness of the theme “Ignite my Spark” especially in light of the fact the teachers are spasmodically resigning and walking away from the teaching profession.
President of the Anguilla Teachers Union, Terron Azille, addressed the gathering on the disposition of teachers and the images they portray in the way they answer questions, for example, and in the way they project themselves. He said that teachers must project themselves as people who have a high degree of self-worth, knowing that they are considered to be some of the nicest, noblest people in the society.
The Feature Speaker was renowned community personality, Mr. Vanburn Brookes. He drew cheerful responses and a high degree of appreciation from the audience of teachers as he related his experiences as a student who was shaped and developed by some of the most caring teachers who had his best interest at heart.
Prior to lunch, the 300-plus teachers recited the Educators Pledge in unison.
Lunch was provided by Eric’s Soup Kitchen. During the lunch some of those present enjoyed the cheerful fun of taking a swiftly spinning video on the “360Xperience” rotating platform.
The welcome-back event was a special Education Department feature. It presented the teachers and officials with approximately four hours of enthusiastic expectations, and pertinent information for effective teaching in the year ahead.
