THE new school year was described as a chance for “an exciting journey to transform Godfrey Stewart High School (GSH) into a model learning institution within five years”.

The message to students and parents in the 2008-2009 handbook published by the Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland-based institution under new principal Theobold Fearon, highlighted the school’s philosophy of education, underpinned by the motto, ‘Only the best is good enough’.

“As an educational institution, we are committed to providing a high quality learning environment which promotes the best possible educational, social, cultural and recreational development of each student,” the message read.

The handbook outlines, among other things, a 23-point ‘School rules/regulations, sanctions and rewards’ that promise “individual students, groups, or entire classes. public acknowledgement at corporate devotions and other appropriate forums for their commendable deeds”.

It also includes tips on how to get better grades, safety at school and student responsibilities.

Established at 4 Lewis Street between East and Rose streets in the Westmoreland capital in 1963 as the Savanna-la-mar Senior School, the institution once catered to students at the upper level of the existing all-age schools. It became a junior secondary school in 1966; then new secondary in 1974; comprehensive high in 1998 and finally, in 2000, a high school.

“When I came in 1976 the school was operating as it is now (with discipline) but by 1978 discipline fell,” reminisced head of the Home Economics Department Sadie Pinkney.

“The teachers had given up…and the students knew it, but now there has been a complete and total turnaround since Mr (Theobold) Fearon’s arrival in January 2008 due to (him being a) strong leader and disciplined motivator with vision.”

Fearon – hired on January 14, 2008 – has the support of vice principals Theresa Lindo and Marcia Muir.

“From about 1999 the Inter Schools Christian Fellowship (ISCF) and their sponsoring teachers have staged daily ‘Lunchtime Prayer Meetings’ to [try to] make things better,” Pinkney continued. “We feel now that our prayers have been answered.”

Said Wayne Vanhorne, head of Social Studies: “I am encouraged. The new principal has vision. He is able to implement – even though it is a team effort – and students are following the rules. There is no place for idlers here.”

The man of the moment

Fearon is a Clarendonian, a very religious Christian and father to two daughters whose mother (his wife) is a teacher. He holds a teachers’ certificate from Church Teachers’ College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and English from the University of the West Indies, a diploma in school management from Mount St Vincent University in Canada and a Master of Science from the University of Technology.

“Some years ago I was on a trip to Negril and as I passed the school a voice said to me, ‘You are going to manage this school one day’,” Fearon said, recalling his first encounter with Godfrey Stewart High. “But it was not until the school’s 2005 DaCosta Cup success that the name came back to me.”

He is confident he will do as good a job as he did while working at Lennon Secondary (1983-1995) and managing Kellits Primary (1995-2008) emphasising, “It was, and will always be a team effort, though I place strong emphasis on discipline as the only way an organisation will perform optimally.”

Said he: “Kellits was for more than five years part of the Jamaica Government/USAID-sponsored New Horizon for Primary Schools Programme which emphasised development of school management skills and school boards; working effectively with all stakeholders and exposing school personnel to a wide range of strategies to improve literacy and numeracy.

“That training really prepared me for the task of leading GSH,” he confessed, adding, “I knew from my research before taking the job that GSH was underachieving and underperforming in all areas and had a bad discipline problem.

Nevertheless, I like challenges and see where I can help to dispel the myth that upgraded high schools cannot hold their own in the academic arena. The plan is to transform GSH to become the best in the island in respect of academics and sports.”

The five-year plan

A five-year plan, developed by the board, staff, parents and principal over the first quarter of 2008 will run until 2013. It is specific in its treatment of crucial issues relevant to development. The top issue is student discipline, with the goal being to “establish a safe and peaceful school environment conducive to effective teaching and improved student learning by the end of the academic year 2008-2009 by “developing a comprehensive school discipline policy with inputs from the Ministry of Education and Youth, the school board, teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders”.

Other areas of concern include new student orientation, teacher punctuality, students’ self-esteem, literacy, data management, instructional supervision and curriculum review.

Many of these issues appear on the education ministry’s Draft Summary Report Panel Inspection of February 16-18 2004 done at the school, but were never implemented. Now, much has been achieved in respect of acceptance by most among all categories of stakeholders.

“The responsibility of the school’s performance rests with the principal,” is Fearon’s uncompromising conviction. “The buck stops with me. My job demands that I produce positive results rather than making excuses for failures.”

September 2008 saw the establishment of an evening institute offering seven subjects at the CSEC level, co-ordinated by Grades 9-10 English Language teacher Erica Cooke. One hundred and thirty students are now on roll.

“In the future we want to offer courses that are not exam-related such as literacy, numeracy and basic computer skills from which the outside community at large will benefit,” said Cooke who attended the school from 1982-1989.

“I am here as a motivator to show students that they too can become worthwhile citizens.”

The Guidance and Counselling Department has also developed a mentorship programme primarily to assist male students; that was launched in May.

Explained vice-principal Lindo: “Using information technology to teach E-Learning, training is currently being done for teachers who will be certified by NCTVET. Senior teachers have been assisting with substitution, which was previously done by vice- principals only. This leaves us with more time (three days weekly) to make class visits and deal with other supervisory tasks.”

Head of the PE Department Kerry-Ann Murray said they are working toward setting up a gym to enhance athletes’ development and plan to introduce basketball (male and female), female football, and possibly a female cricket team.

The results

District Constable Dolbert Davis has handled security at the school from 1997 and said he has endured some violent situations. Since 2005 he has had assistance from Constable Borris Whyte, the school’s resource officer who usually works tree days, during which he attends classes to teach discipline and safety. Constable Whyte also serves other high schools in the parish.

A 27-year veteran of the police force, Davis, who mans the main entrance to the buildings and checks uniforms, said discipline has moved from 25 to 93 per cent “since Mr Fearon”.

“Students have started to comply, with most wanting to be in a disciplined environment,” he said.

Boosting internal security is a prefect body co-ordinated by Evett Williams, Social Studies and Geography teacher. The prefects are 30 grade 10 and 11 students under head boy Kenville Callam and head girl Okena Dawkins; as well as class captains (monitors) and student counsellors. Callam represents students on the board, while a security company mans the main gate.

The repainting of the main building in the school’s colours (burgundy and beige) and drawing of murals on the walls (an initiative of the board and Grade 9 PTA), and the painting of tables in the assembly hall/cafeteria have bolstered the physical environment. Use of many garbage receptacles, landscaping of the lawn in the courtyard and erection of an ‘Outstanding Students’ board also help.

The Past Students’ Association was re-established in February with monthly meetings under chairman Anthony Stultz and they have proposed to repaint the three-storey building that houses Blocks B, C and D.

Additionally, three grades (7 Green, 7 Orange and 9 Orange) have raised funds matched by the school and painted their classrooms.

On the academic front, GSH school board chairman and National Commercial Bank’s western regional manager, Norman Reid, initiated the Eileen Bridget Early Leadership Series Seminar in 2008. It is named in honour of the late master teacher in reading (1951-2007) and initiator of numerous remedial reading programmes at the institution since 1979.

Also, funded by the NCB Foundation, a leadership series is part of the plan in respect to teacher development and is open to teachers of other secondary institutions in the parish. It complements the Eileen Bridget Early Reading Room (formally opened in 2008) that facilitates remedial reading.

Grade and subject teachers and heads of departments are also introducing novel ways of making students participate more meaningfully in school activities. These include, Miss Social Studies Pageant and Open Day; Reading Day (April 1): Maths Quiz among Grades 7, 8 & 9; Home Economics Open Day; Motivational Committee that organises speakers to address Grade 11 students; Spell-Off; Question of the Week and Grade Achievers Recognition.

There is also a plan to establish a Debating, Quiz & Current Affairs Club in preparation for GSH’s participation in the Schools’ Challenge Quiz .

The Environmental Club – established in September 2008 with plans to incorporate the environmental monitors (in place from 2003) – has embarked on beautifying the compound starting with whitewashing stones around the courtyard and encouraging students to use the garbage bins. They plan to plant flowers and shade trees, collect plastic for recycling and grow food for the canteen inside a greenhouse as soon as space is identified.

The students speak

When asked what area of improvements had the most impact on them, some Grade 11 students said the relationship between seniors and juniors was better than when they were juniors. Others replied as follows:

. Onique Greenfield of 11 Orange: “Lining up avoids crowding to get wherever you want to go and it also encourages early arrival as students don’t want to stand in the sun too long in the mornings when they come late.”

. Mickel Ellis of 11 Green: “Some teachers and students are now putting out more effort since Mr Fearon has come.”

. Kahyeesha Thompson, an 11th grade class monitor: “Fights used to occur everyday, now [there’s] maybe only one in a month or a term.”

. Shanique Clayton, grade 11: “Garbage was everywhere but now students use the bins and the school is cleaner; also, you can be punished for littering.”

. Romaine Reid. Grade 11: “Teachers are getting more out of students now, so classes are not as disruptive as before and I think students are learning more.”

. Rushane Scott, a 9th grader: “Crime cool down, environment nice and clean, good cooperation from teachers, and canteen workers. I think children are trying to learn although there are some who still disrupt classes.”

Past parents and students making a mark

Vice principals Muir and Cooke are two of six past students currently teaching at GSH. The others are senior teacher Leebert Taylor, head of the Technical Vocational Department who prepares students for CSEC in Electrical Installation; senior teacher Jacqueline Wilson-Gilpin, CSEC co-ordinator for Maths at grades 10 & 11; Annette Saddler and new kid on the block Cadian Kerr – two of three guidance counsellors.

Kerr came on staff in January 2008 but kept goal on the 2002 DaCosta Cup team; was prefect; president of the ISCF and house captain for Rickets House (now Honeyghan House).

However, as a grade seven and eight student, he was part of the problem, being a non-reader and earning four suspensions for fighting and deviant behaviour.

“Discipline was at a low when I came (1997) and didn’t move up much by the time I left,” Kerr said. “Personal change came late in Grade 8 when I became a Christian after which I encouraged my peers and other students to conform to school rules.”

Interestingly, one past parent who still works at GSH is Norma Heath, a member of the ancillary staff from 1993. As a single parent, she saw to the education of her three youngest sons at GSH, two of whom became head boys – Kaiser Heath 1998-99 and Kirk Heath 2000-2001.

“The physical environment and discipline was deteriorating but is now improving due to a caring person with a vision getting the support of almost all, including students,” Heath said.

Looking on from the outside

Persons outside the immediate school community have also noticed the change.

“I visited in March (2009) and noticed big improvements – clean environment, students not on corridors, teachers punctual for classes and the overall disciplinary standard higher,” remarked Rohan James, a 2008 graduate who played on the school’s Headley Cup cricket team and is now opening batsman for Westmoreland’s Senior Cup Team.

Coach Karl Palmer, who used discipline to motivate GSH to achieve the 2005 DaCosta Cup crown, added his voice.

“I noticed on a recent visit that the staff room was not as crowded as it used to be in former times at that time of the day, as it seems they are better organised; also they are better dressed,” he said.

“I don’t have to go into the school to see the improvement,” offered Atherine Lee, former business teacher at GSH, now Social Development Commission officer for the Whitehouse area of eastern Westmoreland. “Just passing by, I don’t see students on the street, in the schoolyard, or on the corridors during school time and noise coming from there has been reduced.”

One prominent Savanna-la-mar businessman who didn’t want his name used admitted: “I have seen light going into the place. I have seen Mr Fearon outside in the mornings making sure students are orderly. Though I don’t know of the internal changes, I appreciate the physical change (painting of building) and the fact that boys are no longer outside harassing the girls.”

Senior secretary Carlene James who started working in 1999 as a clerical assistant, captures the general effect of the model presented by the Theobold Fearon administration.

“I am now prouder than ever to be part of this noble institution as the transformation has significantly impacted the school’s community and I am proud to be part of that,” she said.