NorthGate College 10th Anniversary Awards Ceremony Learning Resource Centre, UWI, St. Augustine

Saturday 25th April 2009
Director's Report for 1999–2009
Reflections and Projections

Thank you Ms La Pierre.  Good afternoon.  I am always grateful and honoured when I present the Director’s report each year, but today as I share reflections and projections at our tenth Awards Ceremony there is a sense of having successfully completed the first leg of our journey.

Chairperson Ms. Yolande La Pierre, NorthGate College Chairman Dr. Noel Woodroffe and Mrs. Woodroffe, Elijah Centre elders Mr. Graham Taylor and Mr. Anderson Williams and Mrs. Williams, feature speaker Dr. Terrence Farrell and Mrs. Sandra Welch-Farrell, members of NGC council, honoured guests, parents, graduating students:

Geneis 6:13 reads; “Änd God said to Noah ‘Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.  Make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch.  This is how you are to make it:  300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high’... Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.”  (end of quote)  When the floods came, this ark provided a place of safety, resource and supply and was the seed that contained the germ of life for the new world.

In the recently concluded Summit of the Americas we witnessed the results of vision, planning, preparation, discipline, cooperation, collaboration, and respect demonstrated in some aspects of the event, but we also saw the result of the absence of some of these building components in other areas.  For the last ten years we at NorthGate College have sought to build our ark with accurate components according to an unfolding vision so that we prepare ourselves and our students adequately for a world that does not yet exist.

“Be careful how you build” has been our guiding principle as we sought day by day, week by week, month by month and year by year to develop systems based on moral values and ethical platforms, which first had to be built internally in our lives before they could be exported to our students.  Example and precept must complement each other.  The picture of an iceberg which hangs in our administrative office is a constant reminder to us that the visible one-tenth must be supported by the invisible nine-tenths.

How and what did we build?

Culture

Dr. Noel Woodroffe while addressing principals and teachers of both public and private secondary schools a few years ago stated “Whether you build culture consciously or not, culture will be built.” One of our watchwords, ‘Purpose,’ allows students to understand the ‘why’ of the NorthGate culture – whether it pertains to wearing the school uniform, cleanliness of our surroundings, interpersonal communication, academic, sporting or cultural endeavours, we rehearsed and continue to rehearse the unchanging values that undergird our process.
Our culture is further strengthened by the global world of Congress WBN and by parents’ willingness to attend meetings, have discussions pertaining to their children’s development, refusal to tolerate breaches of our standards and giving selflessly of their time and resources.  One of our past students while conversing with a teacher she had known, before he began to teach at NGC said to him “You have been NorthGated.” The NGC Brand must be clearly discernable.

Our values undergird the delivery of our curriculum.  Students are taught the importance of diligence and sacrifice in order to achieve the highest academic and personal standards of which they are capable.  Recently the form three boys were given a project on the environment in order to build in them a sense of personal responsibility as well as to allow them to take ownership of the process.  They presented their observations and made recommendations for improving our environment, some of which have been implemented.  Class or team social activities underscore the importance of mutual respect and being a balanced individual.
Our end-of-month commendations are a practical way in which we strengthen our culture.  Students receive this coveted award after staff deliberations via email and face to face in the staff-room.  The criteria, as students are well aware, underscore the core values upon which NorthGate is built:  Collaboration, Teamwork, Consistent personal development, excellent work ethic, ownership of the process, Community spirit, Initiative, Courage in the face of challenges and crises, and Endurance.  We encourage and applaud academic excellence within the broader framework of building a strong community of responsible citizens.  The NorthGate College Commendation certificate is an incentive that keeps many students engaged in all-round personal development throughout the term.

Our strong culture provides the soil in which the varied plants can thrive.  We firmly believe tha in spite of some of the dismal situations that exist in our nation and in the wider world we can be one of the shining lights to give hope to our generation.

Staffing

Without advertising we have always been able to attract people of high standards with good academic qualifications, and who shared our vision, enabling them to wholeheartedly participate in building our ark.  Most of our teachers have been with us for more than five years and those who have left continue to be in touch and to assist in any way they can.  Today we have among us former NGC staff members who we would ask to kindly stand.  Thank you for your willingness and sacrifice.

We are aware that we must continuously upgrade ourselves and our systems to meet the current demands and challenges of our world.  Since 1999 we have had continuous professional development during the last week of August and on the first day of terms two and three.  The purpose of this is to better equip ourselves and to build relationships among ourselves, whether as academic, administrative or other staff.  Each year we have built more complex systems as we seek to unearth each person’s unique skills.

In 1999 we started with one hundred students, one director/principal, one administrative/executive assistant and one office assistant and two full-time teachers and several part-time teachers.  Ten years later we have added a bursar, an administrative/library assistant and a part-time school counsellor and teachers who have responsibility for student leadership, male mentorship, environmental enhancement and departmental heads.
Over the years we held seminar/workshops for teachers on various topics such as professionalism,  classroom management, lesson planning, technology in education, financial planning and on three occasions we were addressed by a psychologist so that we had a clearer understanding of academic, psychological and social challenges that students face.  This year we dissected the Hippocratic Oath to extract principles for ourselves as educators.  Staff mentorship and clinical supervision have helped to hone the skills of the less experienced teachers.

Our teachers continue to pursue their individual professional development and this year Miss Samantha Allahar will complete studies for a Diploma in Education from the University of the West Indies and Mr. Curtis Forbes was awarded a BSc degree in Business Information Technology with Honours from the University of Greenwich.

Our administrative, cafeteria, security and ancillary staff, continue to support the vision of our school and to function with the same high standards and moral and ethical values, as they discuss and adjust their systems.

This year we said goodbye to teachers Mrs. Annette Brizan, Mrs. Barbara Bridgewater, Mr. Andrew Taylor, and Ms. Lisa Mulchanshingh and to a member of the cafeteria staff, Mr. Keith Payne.  We welcomed Mr. Anil Bandoo, Miss Allisa Mohammed and (welcomed again) Mrs. Jeanelle Looby.  Le Restaurant Elegante under the management of Pastor Garnet Howard and Ms. Naomi Howard provides a varied menu of delicious and nutritious meals for staff, students and parents.

Curriculum

Part of our vision is “to develop well-educated citizens of knowledge, understanding, character and wisdom who will positively impact every sphere of society.” Our student intake has always comprised students of varying academic abilities and differing social backgrounds.  Last year our students sat the CXC Caribbean secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and while there are fluctuations within each subject, there has been a steady increase in the quality of the results.

Our curriculum was further enhanced through:

Life Skills which started in 1999 to help students appreciate the link between formal education and its life outcomes.  This year students were exposed to Developing a Healthy Lifestyle, The Economic Crisis, Environmental Management, The Importance of Planning and Development, Film Production and Design, Managing Stress and Developing a World View and entrepreneurship.

There was a Poetry and Song Writer’s Competition where we encouraged the expression of written and vocal talent, Team spelling Bee and Inter-Class Debates which were used to teach the students, the art of argument and critical thinking.  We are determined to raise a generation of deep thinkers, students, with informed opinions who can express the same in an educated, confident and articulate manner.

The student leaders engaged in a series of developmental workshops and practical training sessions designed to assist them in managing the classes under their care and making them more effective leaders.  Some of the workshops included; event management, conflict management, having an impact amongst your peers, the importance of the servant’s heart.

Sports Day 2009

Our sports day this year took place at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar on Saturday 14 February.  It took the form of a sport and family day as part of ten year celebrations.

The pageantry this year was a collaboration of all the teams and highlighted the journey of NorthGate College paralleling NGC’s journey to the journey of the Earth.  (The triumphs and struggles of the Earth in terms of what has been built, is being built and what may yet come.)
As is the norm here at NGC we left the stadium in excellent condition that evening and we felt satisfied that all the effort put into the planning, preparation and execution, was well worth it.
Team accuracy was the overall winner.  In the upper school Simon Reid from Team Impact received the Victor Ludorum and Charis-Ann Ricketts from Teach Accuracy received the Victrix Ludorum.

Swimming

Mr. Curtis Forbes and Miss Christine Mc Gregor facilitated swimming.  Twenty students practiced at the Dr. Jao Havelange Centre of Excellence on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We participated in three meets hosted by Tidal Wave Aquatics Swim Club and we won one bronze medal and 5 ribbons in the East/Central Zone Schools’ Swim Meet.  We saw evidence of growth in students who have been training consistently during the previous year by virtue of more outstanding performance in the meets as well as a greater team bond being formed among swimmers.

Football

In the words of one of our footballers – “NorthGate College football team has been a learning experience that I will remember throughout my life.  I was introduced to football in NorthGate College.  I have learnt not only to make proper passes and dribble the ball past opponents, but internal character development such as discipline, respect and working together as a unit.” Kelvin Seeharack

Field Hockey

We started this in 2004 under Mr. Christopher Williams and most of our players are in our graduating class today.  Over the five years we won first and second place in secondary schools division B, we participated in tournaments for 3 years.  Won “spirit of hockey” award in both male and female teams for the excellent quality demonstrated.  This year the field hockey team was not as active as in previous years.  Most of the major players are involved in CSEC exams.  The main activity this year was that 4 players were promoted to club level from the school level, and Josiah Daniel and Ariane Pollonais now play on the national team.

Chess

One of our students, Joseph Morrain gathered several chess enthusiasts who were very active during the year.

Links with parents and the wider society

Report on Visiting Martinican Students to NGC.

Last October, 28 students and 4 teachers from the College JULIA NICOLAS in Martinique visited NorthGate College as part of an immersion program for the study of English.  The visiting students witnessed an NGC morning assembly, held in both French and English.  Our students introduced the Martinicans to some aspects of Trinbagonian culture:  they heard some calypso, parang and local cuisine.

Over the ten years we have hosted Youth Impact for students from secondary and tertiary institutions, a Youth Impact Leadership Seminar, we facilitated two seminars for the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Private Secondary Schools.  This year we have designed a Male Empowerment initiative which we launch with fathers and sons in attendance.  Some issues covered in our Parent seminars are: communicating with teens, multiple intelligences, positive and negative values of the internet.

The response from parents and past students at our sports and family day was overwhelming.  Parents also supported other school events and give selflessly of their time, their expertise and money.  Parents have called after competitions and other such events, claiming that they have seen marked, positive changes in their children.

Ten years ago we had a vision of a school community where past and present parents, teachers and students work towards a common goal for national transformation and global impact; today it is being fleshed out.  Our past rugby team still are a cohesive unit and several of our past students have chosen to be on his university’s student council.  One student who was on an athletic scholarship refused to take steroids.  A past student who shared his training in animation at our career day, a past Head boy, has emailed us about being given positions of authority and responsibility at his university.  Past swim captain Gregory Farfan assisted us in managing swimmers and their events at swim meets.  We want to introduce rugby next term.

Conclusion
Finally, I want to thank Dr. Noel Woodroffe and his wife June, for continuing to give impartation and oversight, Elders of Elijah Centre Mr. Graham Taylor and Mr. Anderson Williams for their support and encouragement, Mr. Marlon Jameson our Co-Chairman to whom we extend congratulations on becoming a father today.

Many of you have prayed, given financial support, practical and technical assistance and I sincerely thank you.  To our teachers who are second to none, but special mention must be made of Miss Yolande La Pierre, Mrs. Smith and Mr. Forbes, administrative staff headed by Mrs. Gemma Mills, Mrs. Annette Knight, Mrs. Margaret Ryan, Mrs. Rhonda Nobie, cafeteria staff, security, ancillary staff, thank you.  To our parents without whose choice there would be no NGC and finally, you our excellent students for your humility, willingness, vivacity and diligence and which has added a very unique value to NGC.

As we continue to seek God’s unfolding purpose for NorthGate College, we are constrained to be accurate because we know that God is watching us; but we are encouraged and empowered to fulfil our destiny because we know that He is watching over us.