La Romaine RC makeover thanks to ‘Priests Can Cook’

St Benedict’s La Romaine RC School is seeing positive changes with the upgrades made possible through funding from the Priests Can Cook 2017 event.

Staff has seen a difference in their pupils who are eager to attend school and learn.  There is excitement in both staff and pupils about the revamped ‘new school’.

The funds were used in alignment with the School’s Action Plan, and its Mission and Vision. Emphasis was on creating a fully functional Computer Lab.

During the 2018 July/August vacation a 24 bit Server was relocated and a complete upgrade done of connections and replacement of computer systems in the Computer Room to facilitate 18 fully functional machines. There is internet access and computers outfitted with the entire Microsoft Windows Suite.

The interior and exterior of the school buildings were painted and new signage with ‘St Benedict’s La Romaine’ to ensure the Catholic ethos. Signage in the form of banners, artwork and graphics were also used to create a more aesthetically pleasing environment and promote greater national pride and awareness.  A resource room was introduced which was stocked with new manipulatives. Some repairs were also done on the guttering, roof, gates, plumbing and minor electrical.

The school has among its aims 2018–2019 to increase children’s literacy and numeracy levels. In the case of literacy, this will be assessed through pupils displaying an increased love for reading a variety of genre from class and library, as well as improvement in the use of Standard English in speech and writing.

More emphasis is being placed on practical exercises with manipulatives, ICT and other teaching aids to help pupils to grasp concepts. ICT will also be used across the curriculum.

Activities and competitions such as spelling bees, Read to Parents Day, poetry, choral speaking, pan/music theory and dance will be used to motivate pupils and achieve incremental upliftment of moral and academic attitude.

St Benedict’s has a vision to educate and develop children who are able to fulfil their potential, balanced, well-adjusted socially and culturally, healthy and growing normally, emotionally mature and happy. – LPG