In the Atlantic Caribbean, Adventist schools strategize to function as a school system instead of a system of schools

Students during class at the Bahamas Academy in Nassau, Bahamas, the largest K-12 Adventist School in the Atlantic Caribbean Union region, with nearly 700 pupils. Images by John Garcia/IAD

January 28, 2016 | Nassau, The Bahamas | ATCU Communication/IAD Staff

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union, which oversees The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos, plans to unify its four primary and secondary schools into one school system.

Three of its church schools recently underwent an assessment by the Bainum Family Foundation, a foundation which develops programs that build instructional and organizational capacity in schools to ensure that both students and schools reach their full potential.

David Daniesl of the Bainum Family Foundation reports his initial findings to education directors at the Atlantic Caribbean Union headquarters in Nassau, Bahamas.

“I have been accustomed to being called when things are bad, but here at the Atlantic Caribbean Union, we’ve come to help bring the schools from good to great,” said David Daniels, senior director of the Bainum Family Foundation and leader of the audit team.

Daniels and the audit team interviewed representative stakeholders of the school, met with students, teachers and administrators as well as conducted classroom observations. The team also reviewed school documents such as external exam results from the last five-year period.

Daniels stated that the schools had great potential for being model schools not only within the Adventist school system, but also for the government school system.

The initial report by the foundation, presented on Jan. 21, 2016, included concerns in the teaching learning process, organizational design and school leadership, said Cheryl Rolle, education director for the church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union.

Rolle was not surprised with the initial report by the foundation. She said some of the challenges the schools face include financing, the delivery of powerful teaching, implementation of union standards for student learning and achievement, and increased support from Adventist parents.

“It was not so much having the school audit conducted by an outside organization that was important,” said Rolle, “but rather tapping into the professional expertise of the foundation.”

Rolle explained that the four high schools undergo an evaluation process by the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA), unlike the elementary schools, which are evaluated by the union’s board of education. All four schools have been accredited for up to five years by the AAA but it was important to have another independent educational agency to evaluate, she added.

Team from the Bainum Family Foundation during a videoconference with Maranatha Academy staff in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“We wanted to obtain advice and guidance from the team on programs and strategies that build instructional and organizational capacity in schools so that students and schools can reach their full potential for success. This was our driving force for engaging their services,” explained Rolle.

“There is always room for improvement so we have taken this proactive approach of identifying our strengthens and weaknesses, particularly in the areas of leadership and governance, academics and instruction and finance in order to develop strategies that will make us an excellent school system rather than a system of schools,” added Rolle.

The K-12 schools Bahamas Academy in Nassau, Grand Bahama Academy in Grand Bahama, Maranatha Academy in the Turks and Caicos, and Cayman Academy in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, have been running as a system of schools, each entity working in a vacuum or on its own to bring about improved efficiency, said Rolle.

“Working as a school system means that there will be a standardized implementation of best practices in the areas needed, while each school will maintain its uniqueness and personality yet all working together to ensure to have a clear and shared mission and vision, high standards and expectations, effective school leadership, high levels of collaboration and communication, standards-based instruction and assessment, frequent monitoring of teaching and learning, supportive learning environment and high levels of parent involvement. Achieving this will make us a school system of excellence,” said Rolle.

Goals to improve Adventist schools include a collaborative school environment and 50 percent increase in enrollment of students from Adventist homes, among others, said Cheryl Rolle, education director for the church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union.

Short-term goals to becoming a school system include creating action plans for implementing the recommendations of the school audit with the requisite evaluation of the plans, said Rolle. Long-term goals include a collaborative school environment; a 50 percent increase in the number of student baptisms; improved teacher and administrator efficiency; increased parental/student/teacher/constituency satisfaction; increased student achievement; and 50 percent increase in enrollment of students from Adventist homes.

Rolle said that the Baunim Family Foundation team will continue assisting in crafting a set of curriculum standards, as well as assist in exploring fundraising ideas.

“The goal of our four schools is to provide a balanced spiritual, mental, physical, social, and vocational education in harmony with Seventh-day Adventist standards and ideals that will prepare children and young people to be productive citizens in their communities and heaven.”

Stakeholders were excited about the process and have committed to supporting the endeavor and initiatives.

“This process gets us excited because I expect positive developments in our school as a result of the audit,” stated a local church elder and former parent of Bahamas Academy.

The Bainum Family Foundation is a Seventh-day Adventist initiative, which supports educational programs and projects assisting underserved children and youth as well as Seventh-day Adventist primary and secondary schools, is located in Silver Springs, Maryland, United States.

The Atlantic Caribbean Union oversees a church membership of more than 32,600 worshipping in 89 churches and congregations. The church operates four K-12 schools with a combined enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year of 1,256 and 96 teachers and staff.