Early Stimulation class pupils as they celebrated Founders Day.
PHILIPSBURG--Foundation Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) celebrated 45 years of providing quality education to the community of St. Maarten on Wednesday, March 10.
The theme for this year’s celebration was “Embracing Diversity; Challenging Minds during the Unfolding of New Realities”.
“As new realities continue to unfold, we are prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead. Our celebration this year will focus on documenting the history and contributions of a few of the persons that were instrumental in building the very strong foundation on which we stand today,” said the school’s Executive Director, Rose Hughes-Coram.
This year’s focus was on persons such as the founder Reverend John A. Gumbs, the first executive director Josiane Artsen, one of the past chairmen of the school board Reverend E. Lloyd Brisset, past principal Glenville Brown and current and past teachers too numerous to mention.
Hughes-Coram said the documentary will be aired on the school’s Facebook page, Foundation Methodist Agogic Centre, and website
www.macsxm.org during the month of March.
“There are so many persons that have made considerable contributions to this institution during the 45 years. We appreciate all the contributions, whether big or small. Because of you, we are here today,” she said. “A special ‘thank you’ to management and staff of the foundation Methodist Agogic Centre, thank you for your service. A great big ‘thank you’ to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel for their congratulatory remarks.
“May the good Lord continue to bless this institution of learning as we continue to offer quality education to the community of St. Maarten.”
The Methodist Church established Foundation Methodist Agogic Centre in the Netherlands Antilles in March 1976 to promote education and philanthropic services based on Christian principles. One of its aims was to establish, maintain and operate one or more schools for elementary, secondary and higher education.
The MAC elementary sections started in 1976 and its Early Stimulation Centre was established in 1987 to cater to three-year-olds. The MAC has since grown to include two double elementary schools as well as a double high school, the MAC’s Comprehensive Secondary Education, which is located in Ebenezer.
The main thrust of the MAC pedagogic institutions is teaching the English language as the medium of education.
The MAC schools are committed to developing in their students a strong love for learning, a high level of self-esteem, independence and self-discipline. Therefore, MAC has developed and implemented a broad, balanced and challenging curriculum, to give pupils and students opportunities to experience success in learning, to work to standards that challenge their full potential, and to form a base for making informed choices later in their schooling and life in general.
