Bellefield High School – an institution to reckon with

AFTER 50 years of existence, it is obvious that the Bellefield High School is an institution renowned for its strong emphasis on academics, music, speech, and drama with a rich legacy in sports and is here to stay. We are so blessed to have our first principal, the Rev Caswell Burton, who opened our doors in 1969, sharing in our 50th school anniversary celebrations.

As we celebrate the ‘Year of Jubilee’, as an institution of rural gumption, we continue to churn out students of great repute both locally and internationally, and we claim to our credit their genesis and springboard to greatness.

Greats such as international athlete Kemoy Campbell; Dr Javin Campbell, medical doctor and Colin Fagan, Member of Parliament, South East St Catherine constituency, just a few who got their formative education at Bellefield High School.

Over the decades, we have gone through several name changes – from junior secondary, to secondary, comprehensive high to upgraded high school.

Despite the underlying nuisances, woes, and challenges of the prevailing shift system, our past and present boards of management, principals, vice-principals, teachers, and administrative and ancillary staff have created a solid platform and launching pad for us to strategically position Bellefield High as an institution to reckon with.

As our 50th school anniversary theme says, ‘Success is a dream waiting to be achieved: Learning from the past … Impacting the future.’ We boast that within just three years of implementing our sixth form programme, our Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam results 2019 performance from our teachers and students deserves our recognition and highlight.

Within just one year of introducing the revamped Career Advancement Programme, our students achieved the highest performance for mathematics (City & Guilds) among all the colleges and high schools in Region 5, comprising the parishes of Manchester and St Elizabeth.

Our current board of management – led by the Rev Unit Brackett – senior management team, junior academic staff, administrative staff, ancillary staff, alumni association, parent-teacher association, and other silent stakeholders have predicted that the next 50 years will be even greater. With our combined thrust for greatness emanating from the impact of our era of services to this illustrious institution with the ever-supportive presence and guidance of the Ministry of Education Region 5, led by Dr Nadine Leachman.

This current administration accepts the mandate and challenges before us head-on to create future footprints of greatness as we strategically study labour market demands and trends and modify our curriculum offerings so that our students can be on the right trajectory to be of societal value.

It would be remiss of me not to mention that we have ‘disrupted the narrative’ with our students’ improved attitudes to learning and marked improvement their discipline on the campus and in the public space.

We thank you, our partners, philanthropic sponsors, and general stakeholders, for your unswerving faith and support of our vision .

As we forge new frontiers, we crave your support. Hitherto hath the Lord brought us, and He will see us through to the next 50 years.

PAUL GRANT Principal