While a number of public and private schools in Anguilla are largely operating on e-learning platform systems, since September 6, Blake’s Christian Academy, at The Farrington, is currently providing face-to-face learning on shifts for its twenty students.
The Principal, Mr. Andrew Blake, told The Anguillian newspaper: “We are only doing secondary schooling this year so we have from seventh grade right through to twelfth grade. Numbers vary per grade but we are small and we intend to stay that way for a little while.”
Previously, Mr. Blake, his wife, and the other teachers, had a primary section at their school from its inception in 2015. He went on: “We grew over the years and at the last graduation, which was in June of this year, Mrs. Blake and I decided that we were going to focus on where we think there is more of a need. This turned out to be the secondary section.
“If you look at what is being offered in Anguilla for primary education, along with the Government’s schools, there are a lot of other private institutions involved in primary schooling… Omololu does grades 7 and 8 which are the start of high school, and Guishard’s Academy also have some high school students. But none of us has actually decided on focusing solely on high school. That’s why Blake’s Christian Academy took up the challenge of focusing on high school only.”
Mr. Blake further explained: “The difference is that for us, we are aligned with a school in Pensacola, Florida, called The Abeka Christian Academy. It is a recognised, accredited, school and students have to go up to grade 12 to graduate from Abeka. Once they have graduated, they will get their diploma and everything – all accredited and ready to go off to college if they so desire. As I said, we are aligned with them and using their curriculum, books and everything. So Blake’s Christian Academy is a registered institution with the Abeka Academy in Florida.
How has his school been handling COVID -19?
“That has been a massive challenge,” Mr. Blake replied. “If we rewind to 2020, when this virus started, Blake’s immediately jumped on to some online platforms that we had access to. We used those platforms since last year and we had a shutdown when students were unable to come out – and we were able to get online with them. I must say, though, that it was a challenge. It presented difficulties for the students in that they were not able to focus in the way that we know they could, and so a lot of the work was not being done. There were issues getting assignments from students, and then our tests and exams had to be at school. Fast forward to this year, we have tests and exams banking up because we take our tests, exams and our quizzes on a weekly basis.
“Because schools started on the 6th of September, we now have a situation where there are back tests and back exams that need to be done. Today, Monday, 27th September, is the first day for face-to-face learning for the first, second and third formers, and they are at school as we speak today, Monday, and on Tuesday, to finish up some of those quizzes and tests. That too is a burden for them because they have to recall all that information and being able to complete it in a timely manner.” The fourth, fifth and sixth formers will come in on Wednesday and Thursday.”
Mr. Blake said this arrangement would continue for the time being, “but we are going to take our signals from both the Ministry and Department of Education. We are paying close attention to what is happening out there with the pandemic, the lockdown, and with schools not fully open. The minute that we get the greenlight that schools are fully open, all of our students will come back on a full-time basis.”
While Blake’s Academy is twinned with Abeka Christian Academy, he explained that it was up to parents whether they wanted their students to cross over to the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. “We take them right up to grade 12, which is sixth form, once they get their diploma from Abeka and us – and take the Standardised American Test. We would recommend that if they were to go to the ALHCS that they don’t go any later than at third form. That means they would at least have one year before they go to fourth form to get ready to take their CXC exams.”
Asked whether he had any specific advice for parents, Mr. Blake replied: “I want to encourage not only Blake’s Academy parents, but all parents in Anguilla, to work with students. There is always some issue with who doesn’t have access to a laptop, or a teacher doesn’t do the work, but I strongly believe that parents can, and ought, to spend some time with students every day – especially in these times when they are not face-to-face with teachers. This is because it becomes a challenge for the students to complete assignments. Parents must find time to spend with their children to make sure that they are completing their assignments.”
