Windsor dIrector Lisa McCartney at last night’s launch of the school’s new facility in Albany. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas’ first boarding school and sports academy is expected to be completed and opened in the fall, it was revealed yesterday evening at a launch event in the exclusive Albany community.
In addition to a state-of-the-art tennis court and golf course, the Windsor High School campus in southwestern New Providence will also feature a 50-bed residence to accommodate some of its 240 students.
Lisa McCartney, Director of Windsor School which was founded in September, 2014, in Old Fort, addressed scores of parents and students at Aviva Beach in Albany concerning the potential and importance of the school’s expansion and partnership with the gated community.
“Our school is set on 25 acres within the secure, gated community of Albany and we offer both day and boarding schools,” Mrs McCartney said. “We’re partnering with Mitchell Spearmon, amazing golf coach, and you’ll hear more about him later with the Golf Academy and also Lleyton Hewitt running the tennis academy. We’re very pleased to have them join us in this endeavour.”
Mrs McCartney said the residence hall would accommodate 50 boarders and “these are all furnished dorm-style rooms with beds, desks, wardrobes etc”.
The students will also have access to a music studio to be constructed called The Sanctuary.
Windsor High School at Albany is expected to have a student population of 240 pupils with a 1:20 teacher to student ratio per classroom.
“We’re an institution for learners ages 14-19 who wish to challenge themselves to be the best that they can be and as a registered Cambridge International School, we offer IGCSE A level and AS level qualifications,” Mrs McCartney said.
Existing and prospective teaches “are recruiters both locally and internationally from the Bahamas, the United States, the U.K and Canada”. Teacher housing will act as an incentive to recruit and retain top educators “who want to move to the Bahamas and those who want to be near the school”.
“So we have a lovely teacher housing that’s coming on stream and also we’re offering them an amazing lifestyle access to Albany, as well as professional rewarding experiences and - of course - competitive compensation.”
Christopher Anand, managing partner of Albany, said the project was part of the continued generosity of Albany founders Joe Lewis, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els “who have been very blessed to give back through foundations”.
“A lot of kids, when they’re 13-14, go to boarding school and it becomes a self-fulfilling problem. They’re not leaving because they can’t get a quality education. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. They’re leaving because they can’t get a quality social experience,” Mr Anand said.
He said Albany’s partnership with Windsor was taking advantage of talent residing on the ground as well as location.
The annual tuition fees for the 10th to 13th year students range between $17,000 to $19,000 and
parents and students interested in the boarding option will pay an additional $30,000 to cover accommodation and amenities attached to their housing.
Windsors existing pre-school, elementary and middle schools will be relocated to the Old Fort location once the Windsor High School at Albany become a reality in the fall, Mrs McCartney said.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
Sounds good. Good job Mrs McCartney
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! Lots questions need asking about the Windsor School?
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
...and why would they have to answer any questions to you or any other Bahamian who has allowed succeeding governments completely dumb down the youth in this nation over generations? People of means invest their money into a first-rate educational facility and you want to know what, who and why. If you have a child you wish to enroll then request a brochure. Otherwise, go find a day job and stop waxing foolishness on every topic on this website.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Regardless, no change mind or apologies forthcoming cause I do not believe in a Bahamaland with government approved privately restricted beaches, or gated walled-in communities that maintain controlled entrances that are only there to keep the native pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists out.
God had a better plan for The Bahamaland —something bad happened.
B_I_D___ 7 years, 3 months ago
@Tal...yeah...that something bad was independence!! We've done nothing but screw it up ever since!!
themessenger 7 years, 3 months ago
Tal, if you're honest with yourself, which might be reaching a bit for you,because of the way too many of we native pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists conduct themselves on a daily basis is the very reason for civilized people to want to keep them out. Walk, ride or drive round all day looking for something to tief or someone to kill. Lets don't talk bout how we could disrupt a classroom or trash a beach.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade The Messenger, have you not read how it seems at least some "civilized" residents living behind walls Lyford Cay, are badly influencing some natives to be ducking out on the Commish of Policeman's, Chief of Detectives - by hauling their asses from back building?
Comrades you do knows that's not fake news when the media reports that the behaviour even some from behind the gated-communities, does put that of the natives to shame?
themessenger 7 years, 3 months ago
Tal, you mean the one who live out on Lyford Cay point, the one who does throw party's for your Party dem, den curse out the PM cause he get swing? Ya lie wit a dog ya get up wit fleas.
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
...thank God for gated communities. If we did not have them then people who actually pay their bills, fund charities, bring needed positive international exposure and investment like Albany, would not consider living here. Aside from out of control crime and theft, many Bahamians simply do not know how to behave!!
B_I_D___ 7 years, 3 months ago
Might need to look at boarding the kids from the east end as the private school in the far SE isn't much better than most crap government schools these days. Don't have enough time in the day though to shuttle back and forth from East to West a couple times a day in traffic.
DillyTree 7 years, 3 months ago
Sounds like a great alternative to the mostly lousy government school option. However, I am wondering who would board their children? At $30k a year, I can't see many kids coming from the out islands, so who are they trying to attract?
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
People of means. I am sure you notice the political elite do not educate their children in the public schools. I am sure over time this new school will probably make available scholarships for deserving Bahamian students.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
Was thinking the same. Would be a great way to take at risk kids out of dangerous environments. I'm not talking about academically brilliant kids, just kids who need a chance, see how they do in a better breeding ground
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade ThisIsOurs, you're so misinformed if you think capitalism schools would welcome "second chance kids"?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
Yeah you're right, there could be the class backlash, my point is, it WOULD be a great way to get at risk kids out of the prison fodder breeding ground. Show them a world other than Honda vehicle and hotel job . Not that Hondas aren't good cars
Honestman 7 years, 3 months ago
sorry but it's not gonna happen at $30,000 for boarding.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! The financial consequences for living behind publicly restricted gates should be to levy a $1 million yearly School Assistance Tax against every gated community and apply funds to upgrade pubic schools.
MassExodus 7 years, 3 months ago
TalRussell your a flipping idiot. That is called socialism, and is non-democratic PLP foolishness. The people that will be going to this school will be the children of wealthy Xpats, the type of people that choose very carefully where and who to donate to. You want the government to levy ANOTHER tax to the rich that keep this country afloat, while the PLP collect VAT likely steal all our tax money and get the country continually downgraded. FUCK YOU your an ignorant piece of shit.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Massexodus, state school socialism or private school capitalism - what's the difference?
If you split the $1 million in yearly School Assistance Tax, between only 1000 gated residents, it only amounts to $83.33 per month. You can also collect extra tax from the business establishments operating within the confines the gated communities.
MassExodus 7 years, 3 months ago
First of all I am not your comrade.
You are suggesting to tax anyone that lives behind a gate, based on the fact that they are more wealthy? Let me school you because you obviously too ignorant to understand that firstly not everyone that lives behind a gate has excess money.
There are many 'gated communities' some not quite as wealthy as Lyford, Albany, Port New Providence, Ocean Club Estates or Old Fort. Since we are taxing them all we have many others such as Sandyport, Brigadune, Fox Hill, Columbus Cove, Caves Point, Caves Heights, South Ocean, Love Beach Colonies, Balmoral, Dicks Pointe, and the list goes on and on and on to many that have far less financially successful property owners. Not only is the tax you suggest discriminatory, more taxes is more money given to the Bahamian government, that misappropriates funds, mismanages funds, and can't manage themselves as individuals, let alone consider managing an entire country.
Your comment seems as it comes out of jealousy and spite towards the wealthy, as your suggestion of a tax to support local public schools based on this article of this private group furthering education in this country through boarding school is downright wrong.
This is the same line of thought the PLP government uses, to take advantage of wealthy Bahamian business owners, and wealthy expats. Let's raise tax to solve the problem we have created. Let's convince Sarkis a wealthy resident to fund a multi billion dollar project and when it is 80% structurally complete, let's find a loop hole to misapropriate the project to serve our own interests.
Don't ever bite the hand that feeds you. That's what you and many other Bahamians do, they bite the hand that feeds them for their own self interests. If you tax the wealthy expats that choose to reside here they will leave. If you tax the old wealthy Bahamian business owning families more VAT they will close their business and many ignorant uneducated Bahamians will be out of a job.
You stay right there with your same rhetoric telling the PLP to tax everyone raise VAT etc. You stay right there saying people like Sarkis are the problem. When all the wealthy ex pats move to another country, and FDI is no more, the country will crumble.
All these assholes in government will be ok because of the multi-millions they have accumulated through misapropriation and cronie deals.
They will leave us all with nothing; our property value will plummet, our BSD will be devalued, and taxes such as VAT will only increase along with crime and unemployment, and we will live in a failed state.
Your an asshole, and your ignorant so you likely will subscribe to the abovementioned things. SMH
First of all this would be a very socialist tax. While your at it why don't you suggest to tax people based on the color of their skin. Give me a fucking break!
Why coudln't you
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
My Dear Comrade Massexodus, I see public schools as government or religious funded schools.
Your opinions are typical of those that think Nassau is the universe of The Bahamaland. But I'll give it to you that you're right about who all now lives behind the gates.
Once upon a time these were rare places restricted to accommodate uncommon communities - for the uncommon man's....
Now, the uncommon man's finds himself living next door to the common native - who thinks he's now one of the uncommon man's class.
Amen!
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
What do they teach at the PUBIC SCHOOL? Family Planning?
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Ohdrap4, of course I'd jump to support you if you're sincere of heart when it comes to introducing Family Planning into our public and religious based schools.
themessenger 7 years, 3 months ago
Massexodus, don't even waste your time with this one, Tal spouting more noxious gas than Harold Road dump. Only persons who got more PLP shit on their lips is Birdie and Bodie. Tal you Birdie and Bodie have perfected the art of breaking wind through your mouths.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
The Question Today Is - Is Your Child Is Too Poor Learn Play Golf?
Oh, there's more.
"That attitude may be elitist, and perhaps that's what golf needs. Let golf be elitist. When I say 'aspire,' that's a positive word. Let people work hard and aspire to someday be able to play golf. To afford to play it. They're trying to teach golf to people who will never be able to really play it. They're trying too hard. Because of the expense of playing, and the land needed, golf is never going to be basketball, where all you need is a court."
....................Donald J. Trump....................
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
Your leader is close buds with Phil Ruffin who is close buds with Trump. No doubt Ruffin will be at the parties in Washington tomorrow. I suggest you get your bud to set up a meet with Trump so you can bore him with your logic and show us how much power you really have,
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
That's awful, I wonder what advice he would have given Venus and Serena's dad
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