10 important things about Iona High School:
1. Iona High School is a nurturing environment. We see the need for any student who comes through, also the staff, to be in an environment where care is taken of each other.
2. Performance is another aspect. We’ve watched the school grow over the years in academic performance and, as a result, we can speak about our head girl this year who has gotten seven ones and twos. Our head boy, who was chosen from grade 10, in whom we saw the necessary leadership qualities, sat two subjects, maths and POB, and was able to get a grade one in maths and two in POB (while still in grade 10).
3. We offer additional educational opportunities to students who have left other schools, and even some of ours, in the Career Advancement Programme.
4. We will soon launch our occupational associate degree course.
5. Leadership: Our board is no ‘quashie’ board. It is one that is giving the right support under the leadership of a former chief education officer, Mr Jasper Lawrence. The teachers are supportive and we can have a dialogue. It is a home away from home.
6. We have created a system here where our students are cultured in a homelike fashion, in that once they see their teachers at grade seven, those teachers as form teachers follow them right up to grade 11 so that they feel comfortable.
7. I have a very supportive ancillary staff. I will not forget those people because of the ambience of this place. I have a very supportive administrative staff in the office; they are very approachable.
8. We have a working and vibrant Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Parents are willing to come to PTA meetings. Granted, we would want something better, but they have been rising to the occasion. I want to commend the PTA president, Pastor Oswald Jarrett, who has been spearheading it for this year.
9. My vice-principal is supportive, we have good senior staff and we work in tandem.
10. We have a nurturing environment at Iona. When we have students and they are really challenging, we do not shove them off on anybody else. The board is supportive and, as a result, we are able to carry those students full-time in Iona High School.