MORE than 320 educators from across the island took a classroom break on Teachers’ Day last Wednesday for luxury-included luncheons in their honour at Sandals and Beaches Resorts.

The luncheons, which ranged from sumptuous a-la-carte meals and delectable buffets, were enhanced by a wide range of entertainment, surprise appearances, fun games and give-a-ways to include complimentary vacations, Island Routes Caribbean Adventure tour and day passes to Sandals resorts.

Pleased with the expressions of appreciation for their hard-work, the teachers were elated at the gesture.

“I am thankful for Sandals Resorts for the royal treatment given to the teachers from so many schools on this our special day,” said Andrea Jackson, principal of Albion Mountain Basic school in St Mary. “The surprise visit from the Sesame Street Characters brought out the kid in us again, as we all wanted hugs and pictures to commemorate the occasion. Sandals has perfected the meaning of ‘special’.

Approximately 165 teachers from 34 schools in the Ocho Rios region were hosted for lunch at Sandals Grande Riviera, while in Montego Bay 89 teachers from 13 St James schools sailed away to Sandals’ private island. In Negril, 45 teachers were treated to a luncheon at Sandals Negril, while Sandals Whitehouse rolled out the red carpet for 35 teachers from six schools in the surrounding Whitehouse, Westmoreland communities.

In his address at the luncheon hosted for the St James teachers, hotel manager for Sandals Royal Caribbean, Arnold Nugent lauded the tremendous work of the island’s teachers and encouraged them to continue to take pride in the great responsibility they have to guide and shape tomorrow’s leaders.

Nugent, himself a trained teacher, said “Sandals and Beaches resorts remain committed to the education of the nation’s children, and this is therefore our way of saying thank you to the ‘back bone’ of our society — our valued teachers who are preparing our children for the future.”

While the Sesame Street characters provided a special surprise for teachers in the Ocho Rios region, Sandals teams in Negril and Montego Bay kept their teachers entertained with skits and song tributes performed by the resorts’ talented staff. In the Montego Bay region, teachers were greated with a refreshing Red Lane® Spa teaser massage and the ultimate surprise of a high seas excursion aboard Sandals Montego Bay’s Sunrise glass bottom boat.

“Thanks to Sandals, my Teachers’ Day celebration is far from over,” said Dushawn Boothe of Belmont Academy in Whitehouse and one of four teachers who won prizes of two-night/three-day stays at any luxury-included Sandals or Beaches resort in Jamaica.

“I still can’t believe I won!,” blurted Andrea Salmon, a grade six teacher at the John Rollins/Success Primary in St James, who was also a recipient of a two-night/three-day vacation. “I’m really looking forward to taking up my trip during the summer holidays.” Salmon also pointed out that winning one of the main prizes was the icing on the cake for this her first visit to Sandals. “This was my first time visiting and I must say the Sandals experience was particularly special. This was something planned exclusively for us teachers and it certainly topped my previous experiences at other resorts as we were made to feel special,” she noted.

Sylvia Campbell and Cynthia Parker, both from the Eagle Kinder-Prep school in St James, also celebrated Teachers’ Day with Sandals for the first time this year. “The Sandals family surpassed our expectations with their kind gesture in honouring some of the nation’s teachers,” said Campbell. She further noted that this is an indication that Sandals is serious about nation building and building morale.