Early Childhood/Prep Schools

CAMPBELL'S CASTLE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Christian education is one of the pillars of the Seventh-day Adventist church and so in 1959 the Campbell’s Castle Preparatory was planted. Over the years the students are exposed to rules, Christian values and principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Thus we try to develop the total person: mentally, spiritually, physically and socially making them well rounded to fit into the society as a productive citizen and more so a candidate for heaven.

Even though the global recession prolonged and inhabited robust economic activities in the international and domestic markets, we are able to keep open by the generosity of God’s people, by faith and His sustaining grace. Today we still stand as a lighthouse in this community.

Integration of Faith and Learning drives the curriculum and today the school is enjoying full accreditation from the Adventist Accreditation Association. We are also certified by the Early Childhood Commission. We are staffed with fully trained professionals with degrees in Primary Education and Early Childhood Certificates. We have: 3 Teachers, 1 Teachers assistant and 2 Auxiliary staff. Our enrolment currently is Thirty-five (35) students.

We have a fully functioning management team drawn from all the churches in the circuits of churches. In the summer (2011) they embarked on a district wide campaign to increase enrolment. We also have a vibrant P.T. A. Body that meets bi- monthly.

EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS

As a requirement of the Ministry of Education they have a number of standardized tests that we have to prepare the students to sit. These are used to monitor the student’s progress and achievements. They are as follows:

• Grade One Learning Profile (G.O.I.L.P) - Success Rate: 60% mastery
• Grade Three –Diagnostic Test - Success Rate: 70% Mastery
• Grade Four Literacy & Numeracy - Success Rate: 85% Mastery (2010), Mastery 100% (2011).
• Grade Six Achievement Test (G.S.A.T) – Success Rate: 100% placement in Upgraded High Schools.

Today, 52 years after the planting of the Campbell’s Castle S.D. A. Preparatory School, we continue to give thanks to God for His greatness. Many of the children who were nurtured at this small school are serving the wider community, thanks to the pioneers who built not just for time but for eternity.

WILLOWDENE GROUP OF SCHOOLS

Nestled in the heart of a city plagued by crime and serious moral issues, the Willowdene Group of Schools has been making strides in growth and development, academia and as a medium of social change in Spanish Town. Mr. Basil Tabannor, Principal of the Willowdene Group of Schools, said the school’s growth is as a result of team effort and the fact that they are focused on their mission as an institution of the church.

Here at the Willowdene Group of Schools we believe in a wholestic approach to the education of the children entrusted to us by God and their parents. As a result we utilize a comprehensive curriculum to impart principles that impact the students’ physical, mental, social and spiritual faculties thus providing a rounded education and producing students of sterling character for service to God and man.

On behalf of the Administration and Staff I must express appreciation and gratitude to our school Board, under the Chairmanship of Pastor Everett Brown, President of Central Jamaica Conference, for supporting the growth and development of the School and for guiding the Administration. I must also thank, the Education Department of the Conference under the directorship of Doctor Dudley Mullings, for the close relationship we enjoy and the spirit in which he works for the cause of providing Christian Education in this great Conference. I want also to register my profound, heartfelt thank you to my team of dedicated Christian Educators here at Willowdene Group Schools.

On the behalf of the divisional heads Mr. Peter Williams, Mrs. Angella Gyles and Mrs. Jacqueline Bennett I am pleased to share with you, our stakeholders, some of the School's achievements during the school year.

This year, is a year that will be long remembered by several private schools as the most challenging year financially, especially against the background of a world wide recession. At Willowdene we will remember it not so much because of the financial challenges we faced, but for the fact that we had far more to deal with than the average private school this past year. Let me explain why; towards the end of academic year 07 – 08 we commenced our plan to renovate the 4386 square feet auditorium and build a cafeteria/tuck facility. Towards the end of the Easter Term into the Summer Term we started the renovations by knocking down sections of our auditorium, digging up sections of the school yard as we broke ground for the new tuck shop cafeteria. In the middle of all this came the financial crisis. We saw our estimates for completion almost doubled in a few weeks and the funds available depleting rapidly. What we remember most of all, is not the demolished canteen, broken down sections of the auditorium or the debris scattered over the campus as we moved into the summer and closer to the starting of the new school year but how God provided so that we were ready with our auditorium and canteen to start school.

The challenges mentioned earlier were just the side winds that awaited us. Further into the year the collapse of the US economy brought on the recession that we are still facing. This is why I personally believe that this educational programme of the Adventist church is not of man but of God, inspired for our children especially for these times. We are to stop seeing our lives through the filter of the present and see them through God’s eyes. He sees the victories we will have tomorrow. He sees our potential, not as gatherers of spoiled grains but men and women who will have victory after victory until the day He returns. Adventist Christian Education in Willowdene Group of Schools continues to grow even in these difficult times.

ENROLMENT

We are the largest Seventh-day Adventist Institution of this kind in Jamaica, and the second largest in the in Inter-America Division of Seventh-day Adventist, with three (3) distinct schools in their own building with divisional heads. The Early Childhood Division, being the last School to be established, moved into its own building in September 2007 and has quickly grown from 17 students to just under 100 students when we closed this academic year. The Prep Division, for the first time enrolled over 340 and the High School over 300. Our current population stands at 738 students having lost some students during the year due to the financial crisis.

Our schools enjoyed spiritual blessings and peace throughout the entire year amidst the increase of crime and violence in schools across the land. During the first term our Chaplain Elder Anthony Gordon dedicated the first Week of Prayer Session to building the spiritual armor of the student population by changing the focus of the session from the usual preaching and teaching of the word and altar call to focus on prayer in the High School Division. Each morning there was a different prayer focus: academic success of each student, student’s commitment to Christ, improved student citizenship/behaviour, improved student/teacher rapport and the success and safety of supporting parents/guardians. The Early Childhood and Preparatory Divisions also participated in the week of prayer with presenters Mrs. Mary Cole and Pastor Howard Grant respectively. We believed that it is our dependence on God and Him being the centre of our school’s programme that kept us during the year. The Spring Week of Prayer Session, conducted by Pastor Thomas Bryan, saw five students surrendering their lives to the Lord Jesus in baptism.

The Touch a Life (TAL) programme launched the previous year by the PTA continues to assist needy students with lunch, travel, books and, medical bills to over $60,000.00 this year. The school teachers and students fed 62 street people, visited the homes of the aged and children and issued toiletries, toys and clothing.

WEST INDIES COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

West Indies College Preparatory School, a Seventh-day Adventist institution founded in 1935, is located on Manchester Road, Mandeville, Manchester. The enrolment in the 1935-1936 school year was approximately 50 students and the first classroom was under the basement of the Old West Indies College Chapel. It was then removed to “Siberia” where it acquired the name “Normal Room” because of the age and size range of the students enrolled. The present site of the Prep School was built in 1940.

Miss Deloris Broodie affectionately known as Aunt Del was the head mistress and later her niece Mrs. Dorothy Newman. From the period 1972-1987 the following persons served in the capacity as Principal: Mrs. Merle Bennett, Mrs. Gertrude Wray, Mrs. Venice Frazer, Mr. Anthony Gordon and since then Mrs. Lowry Spence.

Dedicated teachers and students through their creativity and expertise have won for the school trophies, medals and special awards in Music, Environmental Education, Sports and Spelling Bee competitions.

The Parent Teachers Association continues to make its presence felt throughout the decades and only continues to shine brighter and be more effective and efficient.

The Board of Directors salutes with pride our founders who have laid a solid foundation so the torch of Christian Education is kept ablaze over the decades. We are committed to continue to uphold these Christian values and principles to produce leaders of our nation with sterling character – "The way a tree is bent it is inclined".