3rd - 17th May 2013
/ Liz Millman, Spicy Fingers,
Graham Hardy & Rhys Hancock
Day / Date / Activities / Notes
Friday / May-03 / LM and SF arrive – Mo Bay at 3.30pm / Liz Millman had quick meeting with Reg 4 CREO
Mrs Hyacinth Sterne to plan discussion at Cacoon on Monday
LM stayed with friends and met colleagues in Hanover
SF travelled on own business for first week
Saturday / May- 04 / LM: Hanover
Sunday / May-05 / LM: Hanover
Day / Date / Activities / Notes
Monday / May-06 / Region 4: Liz Millman at Cacoon School, Hanover for presentation of poetry book: “Building a Bridge of Friendship”
LM meeting with CREO
Mrs Hyacinth Sterne at Cacoon presentation event / This was very successful. Yasus Afari attended and was thanked to recognize his contribution by motivating and inspiring both children from Cacoon School and Uplands Junior School in Wolverhampton, UK
Mrs Sterne is keen to explore ways to recognize and develop all UK school links in Region 4. LM has had meeting with reps from 4 schools in Nottingham who have developed successful links with Reg 4 schools. Spot Valley High is also developing a link with Hampstead Heath School in B’ham.
Initial meeting with LM and CREO Mark Smith covered background and plans for the visit, and during the visit was able to hold further discussions with opportunity to start to draft ideas. LM went with MS to Parents Day event at Harmons Primary School and other schools eg Mandeville Junior High to take part in “Read Across Jamaica Day”.
Visits with presentation by children and lunch at Newton Primary as they have a school link in Kent and Holland Primary wish to join the Widening Horizons programme
Meeting with New Forest Principal, Arnaldo Allen, to review progress since the GSP LEA initial exchanges and to consider next steps. LM met newly appointed Special Needs Officer for Reg 5: Janet Shaw Gooden.
Meetings also with McIntosh Memorial teacher Shamara Stubbs, SEO Yvonne McLeod, SEO Ivoline Fletcher and
visit to meet Mrs Anderson at McIntosh Memorial
Started to set up McM website
LM and SF met Graham Hardy and Rhys Hancock from Calthorpe Special School. SF and LM provided a familiarization tour around the island over the weekend: M’Bay, Ocher Rios and Pennants in Clarendon, arriving in Kingston
Meeting with Consultant Lilla Oliver from CIDT re: the inclusion of an International / Diaspora dimension in the new Schools Core Curriculum
Tuesday / May-07 / Region 5: LM in meetings and visit with colleagues to review and consider ideas for next steps
Wednesday / May-08 / Region 5 : LM visits to Newton Primary and Holland Primary in
St Elizabeth
Thursday / May-09 / Region 5
Friday / May-10 / Graham Hardy and Rhys Hancock arrival – Montego Bay 5.30pm
Saturday / May-11
Sunday / May-12 / Meeting in Reg 6 with Chair of John Austin Primary School, Pennants and community contacts
Drive to Kingston
Date / Activities / Notes
Monday / May-13 / Kingston: 8.00am Meeting with John Austin School Principal to discuss support from NWJS
9.30am Caenwood: Meeting with Ms June Hamilton and Special Ed Officers and team members followed by Special School Visits in Kingston / Useful meeting to make the links and to discuss priority support needed by the school. Agreement made to provide laptop and printer via NET and to explore how NWJS can help raise funds for the perimeter fence needed by the school.
Meeting at Special Ed Unit followed by visits to:
Hope Valley Experimental School
The Randolph Lopez School of Hope
and Danny Williams School for the Deaf
Proposals and opportunities for next steps discussed with team from Calthorpe.
Followed by visit to Salvation Army School for the Blind and Windsor Special School
Reasons for lack of response to initial contact by Bells Farm School were because Principal Mr Grant was on leave, he is keen to develop the link now
The presentations at The Woodlawn Special School and McIntosh Memorial Primary School were fantastic – thanks to all involved.
All meetings went well and moved forward the draft of a strategy for International School Links, with special reference to the development of UK / Jamaica Special Needs links and Professional Development opportunities
The Terms of Reference and aims of this visit were reviewed and next steps agreed for LM to draft proposal for moving forward with WH Programme and GH to draft offer re: Special Education support
Tuesday / May-14 / Kingston: Caenwood: further meeting with June Hamilton and colleagues to explore ways forward followed by further Sp School visits
LM: visit National Education Trust (NET)
Reg 6: Visit to Special School in Spanish Town enroute to Mandeville
Wednesday / May-15 / Reg: 5 Visit to Bellefields School to follow up Bells Farm link
10am Presentation at Woodlawn Special School to welcome delegation from Calthorpe School to forge the link
2pm: Presentation at McIntosh Primary to explore support for students with Special Needs in school
Thursday / May-16 / Reg 5: 7.30am LM to meet with Reg 5 Director Nadine Leachman and CREO Mark Smith
9.30am GH and RH at Woodlawn Special School with SF
Reg 6: LM meeting with Reg 6 Director of Education, Claudette Clarke and CREO Kereen Reid to further explore options to links with North and South Wales
Friday / May-17 / Reg 5 9am Wrap Up meeting with CREO Mark Smith and UK Team
Drive to MoBay Fly back 5.30pm
Saturday / May-18 / Arrive back in UK
Notes:
· The UK team was led by Liz Millman, Co-ordinator “Widening Horizons” Programme and Development Director of JAMAICA 2000.
· As the programme for the visit evolved to accommodate availability of individuals at the Ministry in Kingston and Officers in Region 5, adjustments were made to the previous itinerary.
· It was not possible to arrange to meet with the Minister and/or Permanent Secretary or the CEO as preparations were in hand for the Sectoral Debate on Education on Tues 14th May.
· It was not felt appropriate to put in place a training programme related to Special Education at this stage
· It was also not felt appropriate to set up meetings of schools in the Regions until the next steps are agreed and when a clear way forward can be presented – hopefully for September 2013 onwards
Prepared by Mark Smith, CREO Region 5 and Liz Millman, Co-ordinator “Widening Horizons” Programme