This month marks the 40th anniversary of the Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) schools on St. Maarten. Begun by Reverend John A. Gumbs in 1976, the school was created to fill a need in the community for English speaking students at the primary level. MAC’s first graduating class was in June of 1982. Since those early days, MAC has expanded, migrated to various campuses, and always continued to embrace the whole child and the community.
From the beginning, the founders had a vision to integrate support from the 11 different Methodist Church congregations on the island, from both French and Dutch sides, to promote education and philanthropic services based on Christian principles that would care for the whole person “from the cradle to the grave.” This meant schools of varying levels and foci as well as health clinics, rehab centres and homes for the aged.
MAC now have three campuses, with 90 teachers and more than 950 students: The Browlia F. Maillard campus in St. John’s Estate contains an elementary school and an Early Stimulation centre; the Rev. John A. Gumbs campus in Betty’s Estate is a second elementary school; and the MAC Comprehensive Secondary School in Ebenezer takes students on to the higher levels in their educational process. In addition, the campuses offer community school and after-hours programs for the youth to support the school curriculum and to allow youngsters to explore their creativity and interests, such as art, music, sports, cooking, computers and drama.
Although the school is rooted in English as the mother tongue and primary language of instruction, Dutch was introduced early as a second language, with poems, songs and small lessons. Over time, the students build on their vocabulary, grammar and fluency to be able to speak, understand, read and write in Dutch.
This approach to consistent curriculum building over time is perhaps a key to the success seen at MAC schools. From social studies to science, from mathematics to music, the students are introduced to each topic in a logical and progressive method. If they struggle to master a concept, they are given one-on-one lessons with a specialist to catch them back up to the class. It’s an ingenious vision that unfortunately is all too rare in many schools.
“Our curriculum is set,” explained teacher and coordinator Claudette Roach. “Teachers can certainly use their creativity to find ways to present a lesson, but the basic framework is in place.” Roach, who has been teaching at various levels in the MAC schools for 35 years, is currently overseeing that curriculum. She took time out to walk WEEKender through an impressive collection of historical documents and visual displays that pay tribute to the 40 years of MAC magic. For those who are interested, the presentation is available for perusal at the MAC administrative offices on the second floor of the Royal Palm Plaza on Front Street in Philipsburg (between L’Escargot Restaurant and the Methodist Church).
Not only academic interests and arts, but also moral reasoning is addressed in the MAC classrooms. There are weekly devotions led by a teacher to reinforce the virtues of generosity, kindness, reliability and caring. In addition, a theme is put forth each month to allow students to explore these virtues further through skits, poems, songs and stories.
The students that have emerged from the MAC schools have gone on to succeed in many diverse areas. This is certainly due at least in part to the care and attention they received in their formative years at the hands of educators such as Claudette Roach and Rose Hughes-Coram, who is now the Executive Director of the MAC Schools. These educators and the whole MAC family embrace the whole child concept, keeping balance in their approach to education. The 6th graders each year are taken on an international trip to visit a new country, gaining some valuable perspective on the world and their place in it. Members of staff also travel regularly to team build and share their challenges and goals.
