Report on Summer School 2019 – Montserrat Children’s Society
The Montserrat Children’s Society Summer School began on July 15, 2019 and ended on August 23, 2019, at the Look Out Nursery School. It started at 8 a.m daily to 4p.m. A grace period was given to working parents to collect children by 4.30p.m. Clifford Ryan’s bus service transported children to and from the school daily accompanied by a conductress. He picked up children from Salem on route to Look Out daily. The summer program ran for 6 weeks catering to approximately 55-60 children in the age range of 3-11 years. Usually the age group is 4- 7 years but we accepted other age groupings as parents voiced they preferred their child to attend our summer school and they will be more comfortable knowing they are in our care. Also based on positive reviews from the past summer schools that we held, we got a large influx of children and also bearing in mind that is was also free of cost. Parents were indeed happy as the financial strain was eased up in some way or the other.
The summer school was inclusive in that we catered for children who were vulnerable and who had disabilities/special needs. The children were in the capable hands of a five member staff inclusive of myself. The Youth Department provided someone to assist with the special needs children and for that I am thankful. The staff comprised of:
Denelta Weekes- Coordinator
Zenobia Johnson- Teacher
Joy Dubois/ Terencia Allen- Teacher
Dorothea Lindsey- Assistant
Alliyah Giddings-Assistant
Jovita Frye- Assistant (Youth Dept)
Joy Dubois took ill for an extended period of time and Terencia Allen covered in her absence.
When children are at play staff members were assigned to monitor them to ensure that they were safe at all times. The gates were kept closed at all times and we also encouraged parents and visitors to close when they are entering and leaving.
We focused on the theme ‘The World Around Us’. Each week, a topic related to the theme was looked at:
Week 1- Foods
Week 2- Transportation
Week 3- Our Local Community
Week 4- Habitats
Week 5- All about me
Week 6- Wrapping up and practice for concert /exhibition.
The children went on field trips each week to get the real life experience. Some parents attended to give assistance. A structured time table was put together and utilized over the 6 week period. Please see below:
| Timetable for MCS Summer School 2019 | |
| Monday – Friday | |
| 8:00 – 8:30 | Reception |
| 8:30 – 9:00 | Free Play |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Devotion |
| 9:30 – 10:00 | Structured Reading |
| 10:00 – 10:45 | Language Arts Activities |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | B R E A K |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Math Activities |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Clean Up |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | L U N C H |
| 1:00 – 1:30 | Role play/Show and tell (Public Speaking) |
| 1:30 – 2:30 | Art & Craft |
| 2:30 -3:30 | Rest & Clean Up |
| 3:30 – 4:00 | Free Play |
| 4:00 | Dismissal |
N.B. Field Trips will be done on Fridays and will take place during the morning sessions.
Each day, lunch was provided for the children from local restaurants and cook shops and for that we must say thank you. They prepared sumptuous and nutritious meals for the children. These include:
Chit Chat
Good Eats
Dip and Althea’s Kitchen
Olveston House
Summer Breeze
Time Out.
Additionally, Mr. Gilford and Mrs. Veronica Lee treated the children to cake and donuts at the summer school.
I also want to say thanks to persons and groups in the diaspora and local community that contributed resources for the children to use during the summer school; to include
BBC Radio and TV
Johnnies Mecca Fashion
Stationery Center
Karishma
Montserrat Red Cross
Yvette Thomas and friends in the UK
We also had numerous visitors during the summer school period who imparted knowledge, skills or just words of encouragement and for that we are grateful. These persons include:
HE. Mr. Andrew Pearce and Mrs. Pearce
Mr. Encosi White
Hon. Shirley Osborne
Red Cross Team
Miss Denesha Jones
Special thanks must be put on record to HE. Governor Pearce and Mrs. Pearce for the support and contributions they have given to us. From treating the children to smoothies to a visit to their home in Isle Bay. The children really had fun and got a lot of exposure.
Mrs. Pearce also taught the children a dance from Thailand to perform at the concert with the help of Miss Denesha Jones.
Additionally, we must say thanks to the various places that accommodated us for our various fieldtrips to include:
Montserrat Port Authority- Ferry visit
Montserrat National Trust
Montserrat Volcano Observatory
Calabash Festival Committee- Calabash festival visit.
The summer school concluded with a concert and exhibition and we must say that the children did a superb job. Lots of talent and skills were on display and the parents were very supportive. The satisfaction was seen on their faces as the smiles beamed and they shouted and applauded for their children as they performed songs, poems, dances and rhymes. Also on display at the exhibition were bags, tie dye shirts, paintings, pompoms, jewelry, picture frames, collages, folders with academic work and other art and craft items which were all made by the children.
The final day of the summer school, we had a party and fun day for the children and the parents contributed the food items. The children had an awesome day. It was a bitter sweet moment for us knowing that this was the last day and we will not see them until next year. We also received great feedback from parents, thank you cards and some gave goodies to both students and teachers.
In terms of a facility for next year’s summer school, we would need to get a place that can cater to older children as we had many plumbing issues, mainly the toilets been clogged at the nursery school and this was mainly because they were too small for the children.
However, I am looking forward to working in partnership with the Montserrat Children’s Society again next year, coordinating the summer school. It was my pleasure serving you in the capacity of summer school coordinator.
Respectfully
submitted by:
Denelta Weekes
Summer School Coordinator
October 20, 2019
