~ Schools on shift schedule to facilitate rebuilding ~
Cul de Sac, St. Maarten – St. Maarten Academy schools (academic and PSVE) will on Monday (January 8, 2018) move into a shift system in order to facilitate the rebuilding of the academic campus which was badly damaged during the passage of Hurricane Irma in September.
As a result, both schools have reorganised the curriculums and lesson periods in order to operate out of the PSVE campus in Ebenezer. Classes for PSVE will begin at 7:30am and end at 12:00noon, and academic classes will run from 12:30pm with two dismissal times – 5:20pm for Forms 1 and 2, and 6:30pm for Forms 3, 4, 5, and CAPE.
According to Principal of the academic campus, drs. Tallulah Baly-Vanterpool, all efforts will be made to ensure that students are not negatively affected by curriculum adjustments and other changes.
Special arrangements have been made for the pick-up and drop off of students and parents and students are being urged to pay keen attention to the information below:
PSVE
Pick up of PSVE students will follow the customary times in the mornings so that students get to school before 7:30 am. At 12:00noon, the School Board will arrange private buses to take PSVE students home to the various districts.
Academic
Six school buses contracted by the government will begin running at 10:30am and will pick up students according to the following clusters of districts:
Two buses (P 9602 driven by Gregory Wilson or Serge Abraham, and M 7000 driven by Mr. Bromet) will pick up students from Middle Region, take the main road of Defiance and Sucker Garden, Pointe Blanche, Philipsburg, turn by Vlaun on Longwall Road, pass Divi/Little Bay, take Welgelegen Road (by the SMMC) and drop off at PSVE campus.
Two other buses (P 3913 driven by Mr. Hodge and P 7017 driven by Charles Fleming) will pick up students from Maho, Simpson Bay, Cole Bay/Cay Bay, and Cay Hill on the main road; while the final two buses (G 58 driven by Marcel Philbert and another to be announced later) will pick up students from Belvedere, Dutch Quarter, Illidge Road (including Madame Estate), travel through Zagersgut and then on to L.B. Scot Road.
All students from the academic section who will be travelling to school by government-assigned buses must be on the road from 10:30am, in full uniform and wait for their respective buses which will carry the ‘Academy’ signage.
At 5:20pm, three government-assigned buses will be taking Forms 1 and 2 students of the academic school the following districts using the below-assigned routes:
Bus 1 will take students living in Philipsburg, Pointe Blanche, Sucker Garden, and Middle Region.
Bus 2 will take students going to Cul-de-Sac, Illidge Road, Dutch Quarter, and Belvedere.
Bus 3 will be going to Cay Hill (on the main road), Cole Bay, Cay Bay, Simpson Bay, and Maho.
Four government-assigned buses will transport students who will be dismissed at 6:30pm according to the following:
Bus 1 will be taking students who are living in Little Bay, Philipsburg, Pointe Blanche, Sucker Garden, and Middle Region; Bus 2 will transport those who are living in Cay Hill, Cole Bay, Cay Bay, Simpson Bay, and Maho; and there will be two buses assigned to those who are going to Cul-de-Sac, Illidge Road, Dutch Quarter, and Belvedere.
According to an official of the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), through whom the school bussing service is organised, the objective of the department is to provide safe, reliable, and comfortable transportation. Parents can always call with comments, questions, and complaints regarding school bus transportation.
Should parents have any other concerns, please feel free to contact the Management of both sections on 548-4821 – Mrs. Lavern Nelson (between the hours of 7:00am and 12:00pm) for PSVE; and Mrs. Baly-Vanterpool (between the hours of 12:00pm and 6:30pm) for the academic section.
In keeping with the spirit and values of the Academy, Management would like to encourage all parents to continue collaboration efforts with each other in carpooling, as discussed in the general parent meeting of December 7, 2017. This is especially important to ensure the safety of all students as we embark on this journey.
The School Board of the Foundation for Academic and Vocational Education (FAVE) and Management would like to thank the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Affairs; as well as TEATT for their cooperation in making the transition a smooth one.
