CUL DE SAC--The academic section of St. Maarten Academy will be placing heavy focus on the development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the institution over the next two years.
Principal Tallulah Baly-Vanterpool said at the start of the new school year on Monday that the Caribbean Examinations Council CXC will be introducing e-marking of its regional exams as of January 2017, and as a result Academy has to prepare its students for this. Academy had participated in a pilot of e-marking in April, when its Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) students participated. As a result of this, the school knows its shortcomings in this area.
Academy will be embarking on an ICT development initiative which it calls “Digiteens at St. Maarten Academy” to develop the school’s ICT infrastructure, which is currently outdated. The school will be working in collaboration with Milton Peters College (MPC) and Foresee Foundation to approach sponsors to help offset expenses for this.
The initiative at Academy is estimated to cost US $500,000. The first step will be to get the infrastructure set up then get the hardware and software. The project will be rolled out over the next two years.
Academy also continues to promote its Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative, which it began two years ago, to encourage student to take their digital devices to school. The school plans to get a BYOD policy.
Another plan for this academic year is to make use of the expertise of parents by encouraging them to be more involved in various areas of the school.
Baly-Vanterpool said the school will continue to focus on inspiring excellence as part of its theme “Inspiring Excellence, the future begins with me” and rebranding the school into the St. Maarten Academy School of Excellence.
Academy resumed on Monday with 83 new students. The total student population is above 530. The school has also seen an increased interest in CAPE with 47 candidates applying, a 40 per cent increase over the previous years.
Baly-Vanterpool had said in a press release over the weekend that she has high expectations for all – students, teachers, and parents. She said Academy expects every student to show a sense of pride for self and school, have a positive attitude towards schooling, proper respect for the staff, and a willingness to help develop the institution.
The staff will continue to assist students with any matter related to school life or personal development. All students, especially those who are new, should consult staff members about any challenges they may experience.
