School endorses new executive principal
Photos
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Prospect Primary School has endorsed its new executive principal. (Photo by Mark Tatem)
Government’s controversial appointment of an executive principal to boost performance at Prospect Primary School has been officially endorsed for the first time by the school’s executive.
Following talks with the Ministry of Education, the Prospect Primary Executive said it welcomed Government’s intervention.
Prospect Primary was said to have been deemed “a low performing school”, with existing school principal Shangri-La Durham-Thomas now working alongside Terry Cox, an Acting Staff Development Officer from the Ministry of Education.
The move, spearheaded by Wendy McDonell, the Commissioner of Education, was contested by the Association of School Principals.
However, Kim Simons, the president of Prospect Primary’s Parent Teacher Association, Denice Dane, the treasurer, and Zulema Bean, the secretary, yesterday issued a joint statement stating: “There are valid reasons for the actions being taken, and we welcome the assistance being offered.”
A meeting with the greater PTA has been put off, they said, “in hopes that we can have a collaborative presentation which includes our Principal and Ministry of Education representatives”.
In a letter sent out to parents last Friday announcing the arrival of the new executive principal, Ms McDonell said Mrs Cox had successfully led a pilot group of teachers through the Cambridge International Teacher Certificate Course.
The executive principal, Ms McDonell said, would be assisted by a student achievement team, with the intervention focusing on academic improvement.
A parent representative, who requested not to be identified, told The Royal Gazette that Mrs Cox’s appointment concerned more than boosting the school’s performance.
“Parents have been trying to get a handle on what’s going on at the school. A lot of parents aren’t very happy with the way the school is being run.
“I believe that the whole issue with the new curriculum is sugar coating. There are more issues. Every year, teachers have left the school and custodians have left. If the principal is pulling in her union, there must be more going on than what was stated in that letter.”
Asked if the existing principal’s leadership style was being called into question, the representative said of Dr Durham-Thompson: “It’s her way or the high way.”
The source added: “Right now the PTA is just trying to get a handle on what’s going on, and getting feedback from the parents. A meeting is coming up for discussion with the parent body. At that point, we will get the parent’s feedback on the issue.”
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Published Jan 12, 2012 at 9:07 am (Updated Jan 12, 2012 at 9:06 am)