The two become one
THE MERGED Ardenne Preparatory and Extension High School came into existence on September 1, 2000. Prior to this date, Ardenne Preparatory School and Ardenne Extension High School were two separate entities managed by the same board of governors. Both institutions shared the same physical plant, with the preparatory school in session from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily and the extension high school from 12:30 to 5:05 p.m. Neither school satisfied the Ministry of Education’s requirement for contact hours, i.e., the number of hours the teachers meet with students on any given day. This resulted in the school being at a disadvantage when compared with similar schools. In order to address this situation, it became necessary to streamline administrative functions and expand the co-curricular programme. The merger of both institutions became necessary.
In the early years, the two schools were registered as a single entity, Ardenne Preparatory and Evening Institute. However, each functioned independently, and in 1996, the Ministry of Education registered them as separate schools. Now, they come together as one.
FEEDER SCHOOL
Ardenne Preparatory School was established in 1974 when the Rev Rupert Lawrence sought and gained the permission of the then Ardenne High School Board and the Executive Council of the church to start a private school that would serve as a feeder school for Ardenne High. Premises at 37 Hope Road, which previously housed the Jamaica Bible Institute, were identified for the location of the
school. Lawrence served as the first chairman of the board. Both Lawrence and Lily Brown dedicated themselves to the task of establishing the school, and they secured the services of Daphnie Bailey, who was appointed principal. It was Brown who developed the motto, NilNisiOptimumHicEst
Agendum – ‘Nothing but the best is done here’.
The school started with 100 students on roll and was housed in the current administrative block, which had to undergo extensive repairs to make it comfortable for the children. The school grew in numbers, and in 1993, enrolment increased to 560, causing the board to take the decision to reduce enrolment to 400, which was the number of students that could be comfortably accommodated at that time. The current enrolment is 434.