The Commissioner of Education, Kalmar Richards wishes all students, staff, and parents a successful start of the 2019 - 2020 school year.
The Commissioner commented, “I am most excited for yet another school year with endless possibilities for achievement and success. Tomorrow, September 10th, Bermuda Public Schools will welcome 4,820 students as they commence the 2019-2020 school year. I expect our students to do well and I look forward to seeing an improvement in our results this year.”
Commissioner Richards continued, “Our teachers have participated in site-based activities at their respective schools and system-wide professional development in preparation for the start of this school year. Additionally, our new teachers have completed an orientation to equip them with the knowledge they need to seamlessly transition into the Bermuda Public School System. I have no doubt that all of the staff will inspire and encourage our students towards their maximum potential this year.”
“I am also encouraged by work being done within the Department of Education to ensure a successful year. Department staff continue to be led by the aspirational and transformative strategies laid out in Plan 2022, and have been preparing for the return of staff and students, and for the implementation of system priorities for 2019/2020.”
Some of the activities in which our staff have been engaged involve:
- Laying the groundwork needed to develop the budget for Plan 2022
- Analyzing data to determine system strengths and deficit areas, along with strategies for improvement
- Working with public works, school custodians and contractors to prepare facilities
- Preparing school supplies orders and delivering them to our schools
- Assigning and finalizing staffing at all levels in the system
- Reviewing and allocating support services to students
- Preparing for workshops that were conducted on September 4 and 5, 2019
- Developing proficiency scales for core subject areas for use effective September 2019
- Holding the Orientation for new staff held during the last two days of August 2019
- Conducting a review of the IT equipment at schools
- Preparing for the increase of bandwidth at preschools, primary and middle schools
- Preparing for the launch of the Department of Education’s Complaints Policy
- Meeting with community partners to discuss initiatives for 2019/2020
- Upgrading PowerSchool, our data management system
The Commissioner concluded, “I am pleased that the Minister of Education and Department of Education staff will join staff and students at school sites tomorrow for their first day. I will also be conducting site visits to wish our students well. The purpose of the site visits is to show our support to staff and students, and to remind us about the important work we do each day – work for our children.”
“The staff and I are fully committed to student success and will continue to set out a path towards improving results and transforming Bermuda public schools.”