Western Branch:
Maude McLeod High School Principal Avis Bailey Coleman said her school has found innovative ways to improve students' literacy through technology.
Bailey Coleman revealed that the Sandals Foundation donated the latest technological equipment which has helped her school set up a state-of-the-art reading lab, engage students and help improve their literacy skills.
“These new technological devices will ensure that our students have the resources and environment they need to develop strong literacy skills, foster a love of reading and explore new worlds through the use of technology,” Bailey Coleman said.
Speaking at a Sandals Foundation appreciation ceremony, senior administrators of the 48-year-old institution asserted that students now have the opportunity to dream big as they strive to set them on the path to success.
Bailey Coleman said this investment in the school's reading room symbolizes the Sandals Foundation's commitment to education and its belief in students' potential and ability to learn.
Yesterday, Maude McLeod High School presented a framed painting created by visual and performing arts students as part of its appreciation to the Sandals Foundation, and also held a ribbon cutting to mark the official opening of the Reading Room.
Celebrating 15 years of investing in education, Sandals Foundation executive director Heidi Clark told The Gleaner that the foundation's investments have included 10 laptops, smart boards and laminators.
Literacy is empowering
She said the partnership between Maude McLeod High School and the foundation aims to meet the needs of over 200 students and is valued at one million Jamaican dollars.
“Literacy is empowering. Literacy allows children to explore possibilities, think critically and achieve by accessing information,” Clark said.
“Sandals Foundation is committed to investing in schools and projects that support the literacy development of students, regardless of their education level. We will work with Maude McLeod to expand resources to build teacher capacity through training,” she added.
Dr. Shyamala Brissett, Education Officer for the Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs in Region 4 expressed her gratitude, saying the investment was well-timed for the progress of students.
Maude McLeod High School was one of the schools that engaged the majority of its students in classes through technology, including Google Classroom and YouTube, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
She said despite challenges such as a lack of teachers and internet connectivity due to its location, Maude McLeod High School's innovative strategies had ensured teaching and learning took place.
“Kids are ready to move with this technology,” Dr. Brissett said. “Kids were able to go online and access YouTube and streaming and take exams. And the data recorded from this initiative at Maude McLeod High School shows that kids who didn't have an in-person teacher actually performed better than kids who did have an in-person teacher.”
Maude McLeod High School principal Vivette McIntosh Yates noted reading was an issue across the country and said the devices would help students at her school in a special way.
“Maude MacLeod has really put itself on the cutting edge of technology by opening a technology-rich reading room,” McIntosh Yates said.
She said this is a step in the right direction because reading helps students master all other subjects.
albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com
