PTA President Mrs. Lisa Stiebel and the School Family have issued the following statements after recent statements made about the school from the Hon. Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information. Read statement from the Board of Management issued on Thursday, August 3, 2017.
The St Andrew High School for Girls PTA formally and publicly pledges its total support to Mrs Reid, Principal, and to the Board of Management of the St Andrew High School, with regard to the voluntary contribution of financial support towards the operational expenses and support services of the school.
We are very pleased and proud of the exceptional standards maintained on our campus: the physical standards, the educational standards as well as the management of our technical resources.
At no point is any child ever restricted from participating in classes or in any school events, including graduation, as a result of inability to contribute to these optional fees. Furthermore, the school is very accommodating to the needs of all our girls.
We find the leadership of the school, to be of an exceptionally high standard, who have managed with the utmost of integrity and kindest of compassion. We are pleased to have been afforded the opportunity to serve the St Andrew High School, Mrs Reid and our girls in any capacity possible.
The following statement is issued and endorsed by Staff and Students of the St Andrew High School for Girls; the Parent- Teachers ‘Association of the School; the St Andrew High School Old Girls’ Association and the St Andrew High School Foundation.
The St Andrew High School (SAHS) Community hereby expresses its strong and unwavering support for the Principal Mrs Sharon Reid and the Board of Management of the School in the wake of accusations about school funding recently voiced by the Minister of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI) of Jamaica. The SAHS Community wishes to state that:
- As a school affiliated to the United Church of Jamaica and the Methodist Church, SAHS strives to operate within strict parameters of probity and ethical standards; consistent with the laws of Jamaica and guidelines imposed by the MOEYI.
- The Principal, Mrs Sharon Reid, is a woman who is admired and respected for her integrity, her compassion her competence and her professionalism. The School’s academic standing and educational achievements have improved significantly under her leadership.
- The School’s Financial Support Required from Parents (FSRP) is a VOLUNTARY contribution to the Operations Development Fund and the Technical and Support Services of the School. It is designed to make up the shortfall in the school’s budget, developed in accordance with the standards of excellence for which the school is known and for which parents have a strong expectation.
- Accounting for the use of the funds collected through FSRP is transparent and consistent with proper reporting and accountability.
- No student has ever been excluded from attending classes, or participating in school activities such as extra-curricular and graduation exercises. Indeed, the welfare and scholarship programmes of the School provide strong support for students who need assistance in a variety of ways.
- The accusations levied against the St Andrew High School for Girls are false and unwarranted.