From The Principal’s Desk
July 03, 2020
Greetings to the Marian Family,
As we come to the close of another academic year, I hope this message finds each of you in good health and spirits given our situation. The academic year 2019 / 2020 began as usual with everyone full of hope and high expectations. None of us anticipated what we encountered on our journey during Term 2. This past term has not been like any other you have experienced. Everyone had to face the challenge of working on online platforms. This was certainly a challenge! I had to manage the school from a distance, Venezuela, having no possibility to travel with the closing of airports. Several online staff meetings were conducted through the use of Zoom. Many other business matters were conducted through different social media. We were thrown in deep waters and had to sink or swim. Congratulations to teachers, students and parents and everyone who assisted in making this work.
You the students enjoyed an entire term at home seeing your teachers and classmates on line. This was learning with a difference. Now life has changed and you have a new norm. Like many of you, I was looking forward to sharing our end of year celebrations – Prize Giving, and Graduation. Instead we have had to adapt to our situation as best as we could. Our Grade 6 students completed their NGSA on July 01 and 02 quite well. On July 13, the CSEC and CAPE examination will begin. Everything has been put in place to make our students comfortable. I take this opportunity to wish them every success.
The events that have unfolded over the last month and the current global pandemic we find ourselves in have left many of you frustrated, upset, and out of sorts as this was not something any of us anticipated. The very idea of sharing these last days of high school with friends, teachers, and all those at Marian Academy seems highly unlikely now that it is confirmed that we will end our year writing our examinations in an examination room observing social distancing and all the other protocols. Nevertheless we need to count our blessings and give thanks.
We will continue to plan with the hope that we will resume school in September. Admission will continue for Grade 07 and Form 6 as normal. We do not know what the future holds, but we hope for the best. We do not know what the new normal will be, but we will rise to the challenge. Let us be open to the future. Be assured of my prayerful support for all of you. I will keep everyone informed as the days unfold.
At this time I wish to thank all our teachers and parents and especially class representatives who played a magnanimous role in enabling our online education to work. Thanks to Board Members and Clerical Staff who kept the school functioning. And last but not least, I wish to express appreciation to the Management of ENetworks for their generosity and thoughtfulness in their support.
May our dear Lord continue to bless us as we try to stay safe and well.
Sincerely,
Sr. Marie Harper, OSU
Principal