The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

TEACHERS from Preston Albury High School in Eleuthera have gone back to the classroom after they, along with parents, protested earlier this month, Acting Director of Education Dominique McCartney-Russell said.

She added that catch-up classes are planned for students who missed instructions.

Mrs McCartney-Russell also said that a language arts teacher has been engaged, who has received his allowance and is actually on the ground.

The protest in Eleuthera this month was over a myriad of concerns such as a teacher shortage and lack of support for dealing with insubordinate students.

According to a flyer that was circulated, there are calls for more teachers for core subjects, especially mathematics, English language and technical areas.

Mrs McCartney-Russell gave The Tribune an update yesterday.

“The teachers have gone back to the classroom and they have agreed to provide any catch up classes that the children would have missed and so the expectation is that those classes where the students did not have a teacher that they would ensure that those children obtain whatever knowledge information that they would have missed,” she said.

Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson had previously stated that for several months teachers have been complaining about a teacher shortage, violence on school campuses, disrespect by students towards teachers and the overall safety on campus.

The acting direction of education assured that the school updated its comprehensive discipline plan.

“Every school is required to create a comprehensive discipline plan,” she said. “We have a school safety manual that is a guideline for our leaders and teachers and, of course, the other persons who are stakeholders in education.

“So the school has already, well actually not created, because they already had one, but they would have updated their comprehensive discipline plan so that if students present behaviours that are, you know, not good for the environment that there are consequences.

“Beyond that, we also want to provide opportunities for those children who are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. That they are also rewarded, so that we let our children know what we expect. So that comprehensive plan includes prevention opportunities as well as interventions for behaviour, for academics, etc. So the school would have updated their draft. They are in the process of discussing that with their team members and they should have that produced by the end of the week.

“We are also sending our team from student development who will also assist them in creating their school safety committee. That committee actually includes parents, teachers, it may include the police. It may even include the nurse, school boards, PTAs, etc. The entire community has to come together to ensure that the school is safe. That includes not just from students fighting, but safety and in other areas. All those hazards, etc, etc - looked at and mitigated.”

Mrs Wilson said two teachers have been identified to go to Preston Albury High School. However, further investigation revealed that the teachers do not have anywhere to live because the government had not secured accommodations for them.

But Mrs McCartney- Russell said in response: “We don’t secure places for people to live.”

“What we do is we connect teachers with potential landlords, but we don’t necessarily secure a place for them to live. I think she’s probably talking about Harbour Island All Age. We do have two teachers there. but Preston Albury, the teacher there is already on the ground and already has a place.”