Belize Council of Churches

Sadie Vernon High School (SVHS) was established in 1964 by the Belize Council of Churches to serve young women excluded from traditional high schools due to limited financial resources and/or poor academic records. Today, the school promotes holistic education for young women. The general curriculum features Integrated English, Mathematics, General Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Computer Technology.

Additional curriculum components focus on the development of vocational and life skills. These are divided into three general categories.

• Spiritual - Religion subjects, religion classes, homeroom program, religious activities, devotions. 
• Psychological - Group and individual guidance and counseling program, personal development classes.
• Socio-Volitional - Guidance period, extra-curricular activities, club/class/organization activities.

SVHS enables students to participate actively in the education process. It is the school's belief that by helping to instill respect for self and others in their students, they empower these young women to participate more fully in the social and economic development of Belize. One example of a policy that represents this approach is the policy on discipline. Traditionally, students would earn demerits for misconduct or ill preparedness. A merit system was implemented to reward good conduct and those civic and social behaviors students are expected to develop. The overall response to this new approach has been very favorable. Not only has the number of students acquiring demerits, detentions, and suspensions decreased drastically, the reward program has enjoyed the support of the business community. School supplies, books, small gifts, gift coupons, and certificates of recognition are the typical rewards offered to students under the merit system.

Because of the high standards and expressed mission of the school, only a very prepared and dedicated staff is engaged. All teachers and support staff receive Basic First Aid Training through the Belize Red Cross. All teachers participated in Computer Application Workshops (featuring Microsoft Office and the new SVHS Grade Management Program). Subject area teachers (e.g. Information Technology, Mathematics, and English Language) attended additional workshops in these areas. As of 2005, the teaching and administrative staff consists of the following.

• Principal (1)
• Teaching Vice-Principal (1)
• Full-time Teachers (9)
• Part-time Teachers (4)
• Staff Members trained at or above the first-degree level (11), including:
            - Bursar (1)
            - Secretary (1)
            - Office Assistant (1)
            - Watchmen (2)
            - (Government Employed and Assigned) School Warden (1)

The school is recognized by the Ministry of Education as a secondary school and is, therefore, awarded various grants to assist with some of the school's costs. However, considerable additional funding must be forthcoming if the school is to keep its doors open and continue to meet the needs of its students.

Sadie Vernon High School faces two major challenges in its effort to provide general secondary education to young women.

Challenge #1
While every effort is made to keep fees affordable and the school among the least costly, many parents are still unable to meet the required student fees. As a result, enrollment is below capacity and retention rates are a problem. Despite the additional strain that low enrollment and retention places on the school's funds, SVHS continues to provide some students with fee assistance, as well as uniform and lunch provision. However, the number of students needing assistance far exceeds what the school can offer.

Responses Needed:

• Student Assistance Programs must be expanded to include more fee assistance to students. 
• SVHS will place more emphasis on Remediation and Personal Development and Life Skills in the next school year in an effort to better equip students for surviving the secondary school system.

Challenge #2

Enabling parents as true partners remains a challenge. Some report cards went uncollected and communication with school personnel is not what it should be.

Response Needed:

• The development of a simple parent empowerment and skills program would benefit parents and better facilitate their involvement in the children's educational pursuit.

SVHS believes that in this rapidly changing world, the role of education in personal and national development must be acknowledged. Educational institutions must initiate programs that promote social, economic, and educational growth of person and communities. At present, only about 45 percent of high school age persons are actually enrolled in secondary schools. Furthermore, Belize struggles with a 10 percent dropout rate at the secondary level. There are two major reasons for these startling statistics:

• Many primary school students in the school's community are under-prepared for high school. 
• Many other individuals require a less conventional route to secondary education.

VHS recognizes the need for programs that would accommodate both under-prepared students and individuals who want to rejoin the formal school system but who cannot accommodate a regular day school setting due to economic and/or social pressures in their lives. As a result, the school has drafted a restructuring plan of SVHS into a five-year institution. The first two years focus on providing a foundation to prepare students for high school. The remaining three years serve as a high school equivalency program. This restructuring has the added benefit of assisting with the enrollment challenges currently faced by SVHS.