Bulletin Board
Posted by: Hamlin Dalrio
on: Sun, June, 24 2001 at 16:39:27
************VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE***************
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN JAMAICA IS TRYING TO RESTRUCTURE HOLMWOOD INTO A TWO YEAR INSTITUTION. MANY PAST STUDENTS DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS PROPOSED CHANGE. THE PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING WOULD BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS CHANGE PLEASE WRITE TO THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN JAMAICA INDICATING YOUR DISAGREEMENT.
HERE ARE THE ITEMS OF THE PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING.
1. THE Technical Entrance has been abolished.
2. The remaining exit examinations will be the Grade Six Assessment Test (GSAT) done at Grade 6, the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT) and the Junior High School Examination done at Grade Nine.
3. Effective September 2001, Holmwood will no longer have a Grade 8.
4. The present Grade 8 students plus the awardees from the GNAT and the Junior High School Examination will give us an expanded Grade 9.
5. Indications are that eventually we will have Grade 10 and Grade 11 only with the possibility for Grade 12 to prepare students for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Level 1.
6. Holmwood, Vere, Dinthill, Jose Marti, Dunoon, and Kingston Technical High School will be two-year schools while the other eight will be five-year schools.
SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER.
1. In order to standardize and have equity in the system we suggest that all schools be five-year schools, getting GSAT students. The rest of us would be providing five-year programs. The quality or our intake would be lower and we would have less time in which to impact on the outlook and attitude of our students.
2. Competitive sports would no longer be looked at as extra-curricular activities but as an integral part of the educational process, as it opens doors for numerous students who would not normally make it purely on the academics. This would be severely affected by a two-year or three-year program.
3. In order to get satisfactory CXC results the students need a minimum of three (3) years to cover the syllabi effectively.
4. Each school has its own culture and it is much easier to get the students at eleven (11) years old to conform to this ethos, than those joining the school at fifteen (15) years or older.
5. The students need at least one year, doing a general course and getting adapted to their new school, before they can choose their course in an informed manner.
6. If extreme care is not exercised, these two or three years schools can easily degenerate into Vocational Training Centers.
7. The five-year schools offer so much more advantages to the students at not much more cost to the nation, that we think it would be unfortunate if the other technical high schools are not converted to five-year schools.
HERE IS A COPY OF A LETTER THE SOUTH FLORIDA CHAPTER OF THE HOLMWOOD PAST STUDENTS ASSOCIATION SENT TO THE MINISTRY.
June 15, 2001
The Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Education, Youth, and Culture
Two National Heroes Circle
Kingston Jamaica W.I.
Dear Sir:
Re: The Proposed Restructuring of Holmwood Technical High School. We would like to take this opportunity to express sincere gratitude to you for your indefatigable efforts in maintaining the educational standard at Holmwood Technical High School, our alma mater, and the general educational standard of Jamaica's educational system. Recently, at our International Executive Business Meeting, May 26, 2001, held in Hollywood Florida, the proposed restructuring of Holmwood Technical High School academic program was presented to us. The review of this program left us somewhat perplexed. We do understand that the algorithm for the educational system must sometimes experience drastic changes, but we think there was an oversight with regards to our alma mater. Since the inception of our chapter in 1991, we have painstakinly raised funds to provide a quality facility and level of education for the present students at our alma mater. We have also contributed to the refurbishing of the physical infrastructure, such as the Male Dormitory, the Home Economics Center, and provided educational and medical supplies. We stand ready to support and contribute financially to any new and progressive developments at our alma mater. We have benefitted significantly from the four years of our academic and personal development at Holmwood. This is manifested in the varied productive, critical, and important roles we play in society. One of your proposed restructuring items suggest that Holmwood would be one of six schools with a two-year program. We submit that Holmwood should instead be promoted to the five-year program. Here are some reasons to support the rationale.
1. The resumes of Holmwood Past students reveal that we are dispersed in the work force as doctors, lawyers, scientists, politicians, administrators, financial analysts, engineers, educators, nurses, surveyors, and other highly technical positions. Page 2 June 15, 2001 The Proposed Restructuring of Holmwood Technical High School These positions are very strategic, crucial, and critical areas of society. We do not believe that we would have been such stalwarts in society if we had attended a two-year institution. We also do not believe that a two-year program would be sufficient and necessary to produce the kind of individual that would be confident and mentally prepared for today's society, whether in Jamaica or in the international arena.
2. The strong past students association that we have established was as a result of the sense of pride and strong bonds that we developed over a four-year period. Two years is not long enough to develop this sense of pride and strong bonds. We, therefore, think that your move to convert Holmwood to a two year institution threatens to break the fibers of the Holmwood Past Students Association. In addition, we can catergorically say that the Holmwood Past Students Association will not support a two year program. This will place additional burden on your ministry to maintain a reasonable educational standard at our alma mater.
3. We have wholeheartedly supported the athletic program at Holmwood because we believe that competitive sports is an integral part of a student's development. The development of a student-athlete is a process that needs at least two years, hence, a two-year program would extinguish our existing successful sports program. The Holmwood sports program has been very effective. Evidence to support this is the school's recent historic results at events such as the Penn Relays, Carifta Games, VBMS boys and girls championships, Headley Cup and Colts cricket, and DaCosta Cup football.
4. Past experience suggests that the CXC syllabus requires four years of training to have any reasonable success in the examinations. Therefore, we would be stymieing our students in their educational aspirations and hence, could impede their path to play an important role in society. Again we must express unadulterated gratitude for your dedicated efforts to maintain such a high standard of education in Jamaica. In the same realm we know that you will not sell Jamaica short by curtailing the proper development of each and every student.
Yours respectfully
Hamlin Dalrio
President
cc Minister of Education
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
1.USE THE LETTER THAT WE DRAFTED, CHANGE TO REFLECT YOUR NAME, AND ADDRESS, AND CHAPTER, THEN SEND TO THE PERMANENT SECRETARY WITH A COPY TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION.
2. MAKE REVISIONS TO THE LETTER AFTER READING THE "ITEMS OF RESTRUCTURING" AND "THE PONTS TO CONSIDER", THEN SEND TO MINISTRY.
PLEASE SEND REQUESTING A RETURN SIGNATURE.
THANKS
LETS STAY TOGETHER
Posted by: Dwight Smith
on: Mon, July, 02 2001 at 21:18:14
I was able to obtain an e-mail address to which letters voicing your objections to the propose restructuring of Holmwood can be send. It is bwhiteman@cwjamaica.com "LET's DO THIS TOGETHER"
Posted by: Hamlin Dalrio
on: Thurs, July, 05 2001 at 16:38:20
IMPORTANT NOTE
I was unable to send e-mail to the following e-mail addresses. Please check to see if yours appear here. If so, please update your profile to reflect the correct address. Thank you.
LETS STAY TOGETHER
rbennett4@worldnet.att.net
smbaxter@balenet.bs
cblake@lakegrp.com
hopesbruff@aol.com
garcher@yahoo.com
dowint@msn.com
errolh1@juno.com
sharon.marsden@gte.net
swalker8@bellsouth.net
trevorjr@quixnet.net
lesa@hotmail.com
mih1jrct@gateway.net
cecil.richards@usa.net
prvptci@excite.com
senaipablo@hotmail.com
wizen@home.com
gashley@nwc.com
mullings@bellsouth.net
stglemond@yahoo.com
mon88@aol.com
mommarcia@aol.com
Posted by: JOAN WHITE - PALMER
on: Sat, August, 04 2001 at 1:19:09
BIT OF SAD NEWS THAT WE HAVE LOST A HOLMWOODITE, HYACITH CLARKE ( 71 - 75 ) FROM WATT TOWN IN ST.ANN. OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE CLARKE'S FAMILY AND ALL ASSOCIATES. MAY GOD GIVE YOU STRENGTH DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
Posted by: Sezvin Hamilton
on: Sat, August, 04 2001 at 15:48:02
Dear Fellow Holmwood Past Students,
The Holmwood PSA International Executive is undertaking to publish an International E-MAIL Directory for Past Students use, since we have been having some difficulties in communicating with Past Students in general. We are requesting your help in making this a reality. Please send us your: NAME, Graduation YEAR, COUNTRY and State of Residence, and E-MAIL address. (Send a short e-mail message to holmwoodpsa@cwjamaica.com ) It is most important to get this information from the each executive member of chapters (ALL)
"Let us Stay together by communication"
Sezvin Hamilton, President
Posted by: Dwight Smith
on: Mon, August, 13 2001 at 9:55:52
Recently some Reprsentitives from the Holmwood Alumni met with Representitives of the Ministry of Education, this meeting has brought about some new insights, that should be look at. There is a document available on this web page, presented by Lloyd Vermont, this document is under menu "Holmwood Restructure", please click on to this link and read it, then repond to Lloyd Vermont or via this message board.
THANKS.
Posted by: JANET KEENE
on: Tues, August, 14 2001 at 17:33:41
WE ARE GOING TO NEW YORK DANCE FROM TORONTO. WE WILL BE LEAVING ON FRIDAY AUGUST 31st,2001
DEPARTURE TIME: 1.00PM SHARP
RETURNING ON MONDAY SEPT.3rd
LEAVING NEW YORK @ 12.00 NOON.
PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE (2)TWO PICK UP LOCATIONS ONLY.
THIS IS CONFIRMED & THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES.
ALL OTHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED MUST CALL ME THE LATEST AUGUST 15th @ (416)490-9797
Posted by: nerissa sammott brown
on: Thurs, August, 23 2001 at 16:01:53
August 20th marked the first anniversary of my brother's death.I have been getting calls from all over trying to confirm;Rupert Anthony Sammott passed on suddenly, August 20th 2000. We have not been able to confirm the cause of death,as the autopsy report has not reached us. I would like to thank my batchmates for the continued support given.Special thanks to his batchmate who informed me of the website , and suggested that i pass the information on.