“My plan is to make Ocho Rios Primary a five-star school. Just as how you have five-star hotels that have certain characteristics, I try to instil in our students that they need to have a ‘five-star behaviour’, and that means not just being excellent in academics, but in mannerisms too.”

Those are the aspirations of the determined principal of the Ocho Rios Primary School, Suzette Barnes-Wilson.

Although she only started working at the school in September of last year, she says she has fallen deeply in love with the students and her staff who work in unison to ensure that the school, as a whole, is the best.

“Every morning, I stand at the gate and tell them good morning and to have a good day. I want to show them that it is in still in style to be polite.

“I was absent for a couple days and a taxi man saw me and said, ‘Miss a weh u did deh? The pikney them sad that you were not here to tell them morning and to have a good day,’” she said while smiling.

“I also try to get feedback from the students as much as possible, because they are our customers. I ask them their thoughts about the lunch they are served, and when I get suggestions from them, I take it and make the necessary improvements,” she revealed.

In an effort to ensure that the students are shaped into the “total human”, Barnes-Wilson says that she even incorporates exercise in the school’s culture.

“The minister of health has his Jamaica Moves initiative, but we have altered it and made it, “Ocho Rios Primary Moves”.

“Every Thursday we take five minutes out of lunch time and get some exercise in; and for the upcoming school term I want to begin a water and fruit day,” she announced.

“What I love about this school is that we don’t only concentrate on bettering the school, but we are also involved with the community. Recently we had a health fair that was done through the Guidance Department, and people in and around the area were able to come and benefit from some of the free tests we had here,” Barnes-Wilson said. She added with strong conviction that: “I am a firm believer in developing the total mind, and we are working towards showing the students the connection of the work done in classes and the real world. We want them to become global citizens; we are not only preparing them only for Jamaica.”

Barnes-Wilson shared that the school has been entering competitions and has been successful in several of them.

“We have been the parish champions in the primary sports football competition. We have students who have moved on to participate in the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) athletics meet and so far, we have been doing very well.

“On May 21, some of our students advanced in the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) math quiz, and they are finalists,” the principal informed.

She further shared that while academic learning is important, they try to add other areas to ensure that students are well-rounded.

“I believe the clubs and societies here help with the holistic development of the students. “We don’t only focus on academics. We have a teacher here who is a licenced mechanic and what he does is to bring some mechanical equipment to engage the students during his classes,” Barnes- Wilson said.

She also divulged that in order to create an environment for all the different types of learners, the special education unit was established, and those students have been doing well.

“The students from the special needs unit have participated in the Olympics for persons with special needs. Presently, in the region, we are the only primary school with that unit. Our special education teachers here are great and are really helping to build the unit,” she said.

She also added that this year marks the school’s 70th year in operation, and celebrations will kick off in the new school year.