~ Soft opening of school starts~
PHILIPSBURG--Schools will not strictly enforce their uniform codes when most schools reopen on October 2.
This is to “promote a relaxed and safe environment,” given that some parents lost everything during the passage of Hurricane Irma on September 6.
Most schools reopened for two or more hours on Wednesday and Thursday for the soft opening and some will be open today as well. During the soft opening, management, teachers and staff were updated on the official start date of school. Assessments are also being made to determine the social emotional wellbeing and care of students to ascertain their needs.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport urged parents in a press release on Wednesday evening to accompany their child(ren) to the gathering. School officially starts on October 2, for pre-exam and exam classes as well as all schools that are able to fully start with all grades, which will be made known to parents in a subsequent notice.
All schools are expected to reopen by October 16, Prime Minister William Marlin told Members of Parliament (MP) at a parliamentary session on Thursday.
“All students are to report to their respective school for the gathering. The uniform code will not be strictly enforced for the students to promote a relaxed and safe environment,” the release from the ministry stated.
Teachers, management and administrative staff have been reporting to their respective schools since Monday, September 25, and are expected to continue reporting for duty. The Ministry thanked management, teachers, and staff of the various schools, as well as parents and communities for their continued support in an effort to rebuild St. Maarten and its educational system.
Education Minister Silveria Jacobs visited the some of the schools during the soft reopening on Thursday. During the one at St. Dominic High, Principal Gianne de Weever urged students to remain positive and focus on the positive things as the healing process continue. Students were served snacks and met with their home-room teachers, where a more intimate discussion was held with students on their respective situations.
Here is the schedule for the soft opening of Public Schools:
Today, September 29, from 8:00am to 10:00am, cycle I (K1 through Grade 2) pupils should report to Oranje Primary School, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School; Leonald Conner Primary School; Ruby Labega Primary School; Marie Genevieve de Weever Primary School and St. Maarten Vocational Training School (forms 1 and 2).
On September 28, Cycle II (grades 3 through 6) pupils had to report to Oranje Primary School, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School; Leonald Conner Primary School; Ruby Labega Primary School; Marie Genevieve de Weever Primary School; St. Maarten Vocational Training School (forms 3 and 4); and Prins Willem-Alexander Primary School (all grades).
Subsidised schools
Methodist Agogic Centre Browlia F. Maillard campus forms 3 students were to report to school on September 28; while grades 5 and 6 should have reported to school on September 28 and today, September 29 from 8:00am to 10:00am; and early stimulation today, September 29, from 9:00am to 11:00am.
All forms for both sections of St. Maarten Academy and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Education (CAPE) students should have reported to school on September 28.
SKOS
For the Catholic Primary Schools SKOS (Sister Magda Primary School, Sister Regina Primary School, Sister Marie Laurence Primary School, Sister Borgia Primary School, St. Joseph Primary School and St. Dominic Primary School), it should be noted that for cycle II – all Groups 5, 6, 7 and 8, should have reported to school on September 27, and cycle II – all groups 3 and 4, should have reported to school on September 28. All early childhood and Groups 1 and 2 should report to school today September 29, from 8:00am to 10:00am.
St. Dominic High School form 5 and IB year 1 and 2 students should have reported to school on September 27; forms 3 and 4 should have reported to school on September 28; and forms 1 and 2 should report to school today, September 29, from 8:00am to 10:00am.
