By Vejay Steede

The pitfalls of a rigid academic curriculum are many. While intellectual development is unquestionably important, and should naturally be a focus of academic study, there’s no guarantee that intense academic training will produce a well-rounded, productive, and socially well-adjusted individual.

This is why, in a nutshell, rich and abundant extracurricular activity is a vital component of a holistic approach to education in the twenty-first century.

Mr Paynter, P.E. Teacher and M3 Leader at Clearwater Middle School, notes that: “Fundamentally, extracurricular activities allow kids to learn something that will be with them for a lifetime. Directly, that skill could be the basis of a hobby or passion that enriches their life for many years.

“Some of the benefits are: 1. Learning new skills, 2. Boosting academic performance 3. Developing broader social skills 4. Improving time management, and, 5. Improving a resume (these are the skills that provide continued benefits long after their education is completed).”

In Bermuda, sports are an excellent source of extracurricular activity; a deep, opulent reservoir that ranges from archery, to parkour, to motocross. Perhaps the most popular sporting focus for school-aged boys and girls is football. Football programs run at clubs across the island from September to March every year, making them perfect complements to any student’s educational experience.

A representative of St. George’s Cricket Club (SGCC) broke down some of the finer details of their youth football programs for the upcoming season for us:

“Our goal is to provide age groups from Under 5s up to Under 17s. Realistically this season we will have Under 5s, Under 7s, Under 9s, and possibly Under 11s”

“We will run Mondays to Fridays. We are in the process of finalizing team training days and times to correspond with coaches’ availability.”

Most club football programs are linked with the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) league and play competitive games on Saturdays.

Former standout player Karl Roberts is the SGCC Technical Director for this upcoming season, and they will have fully qualified coaches to expertly oversee the development of each age group mentioned above.

The cost of the full program is $350 for the entire football season, which represents an amazing value considering the time and attention that will go into developing skills, discipline, and social awareness in students who attend.

Turning to an activity that traditionally attracts more school-aged girls than boys, the Bermuda Gymnastics Association (BGA) offers several age-group centred programs that run throughout the school year, and certainly help to develop amazing athletic skills and discipline in students.

With locations at Saltus gymnasium (only Saturday) and their St David’s location (Monday to Sunday), the BGA is relatively accessible for interested students across the island. The full-time coaching staff at the BGA includes: Brian Le Roux (Head Coach), Ana Balada (Assistant Head Coach / Senior Coach), Almas Harris (Senior Coach), and Pilar Sanchez (Recreational Coordinator / Senior Coach).

On how gymnastics can enhance the educational experience for school aged children, Ms Sanchez asserts:

“Extracurricular activities strengthen the educational process of children and young adults in a more individualized manner than that of traditional academic programs.

“Gymnastics, in particular, does not only promote joint flexibility, improve balance and coordination, and increase overall strength, it enhances motor skills that form the basis of all other sports.

“Gymnastics teaches invaluable life talents such as listening and problem- solving abilities, teamwork, communication skills, and discipline whilst boosting confidence and providing the opportunity for social interaction. This diverse and exciting sport produces courageous, critical thinkers who inevitably excel in the classroom.”

There are other gymnastics programs available on island, but BGA is the only organization currently offering a Parkour program. Students who develop well through the available programs can be selected to represent the BGA as a member of the women’s competitive team or the boys’ competitive team.

BGA programs range in cost from $360 to $449. For more information on programs, space availability, and costs, email the BGA at [email protected] or [email protected]. If you already know you want to get involved, then go ahead and register at www.bermudagymnastics.bm.

Another wonderful local resource for extracurricular activity is the After School Program (ASP), which is widely available across the island (12 locations). Run by the Department of Youth, Sport, and Recreation, the ASP offers a wide range of character developing activities that greatly enhance the social growth of school-aged children in positive ways.

The ASP Senior Supervisor, Ms Kerri-Lynne Bridgewater is responsible for operations and Mrs Nadine Henry oversees the entire program as the Senior Youth Services Development Officer.

The ASP runs Monday to Friday from 3:30pm to 6:00pm (excluding holidays and midterm camps). The ASP is grounded in the six pillars of Character Counts (https://charactercounts.org/), and offers various activities ranging from art, STEM, and recreation to sports.

Featured programming like homework club, gaming, crafts, jump rope club, and youth yoga classes, the ASP is a virtual treasure trove of extracurricular activity and encore development.

The ASP is offered at a very affordable price and uses a voucher system. Vouchers can be purchased at local Government Post Offices for $30.00, which is the cost per child for one week; so, this awesome program costs roughly $120 a month, which is ridiculously economical. Registration is online at https://aspbermuda.org/, and spaces are limited.

Each ASP site uses a maximum 12:1 student to ASP worker ratio. The program accepts all primary school level children and middle school children as well; ages can vary between 4 years old and 14 years old.

Finally, and vitally, all ASP staff are CPR trained and SCARS certified. There are, of course, a plethora of other popular extracurricular programs available across the island.

Traditional interests like Brownies, sailing, and martial arts classes still enjoy a strong following, while youth tee-ball, baseball, motocross, and archery continue to gain momentum.

United Dance Productions, In Motion School of Dance, and the Jacksons School of Performing Arts continue to provide great enrichment for creative movers, while the Bermuda School of Music offers quality practical music instruction.

Of course, it’s fitting to close with a culturally uplifting discipline that very few would even think of as an extracurricular activity for children; Gombeys!

The post Extracurricular! Read All About It! appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Tim Smith

Being fast-tracked through the education system wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be for Thaao Dill and Andrew Simons. Classmates at West Pembroke Primary School at the age of 4, the pair were quickly identified as too advanced for P1 and switched up a grade to sit alongside children closer to their academic level.

The acceleration process continued throughout their school years – skipping P6 altogether – so that young Thaao joined Warwick Academy at 9 and graduated at 14, while Andrew went through Berkeley Institute alongside classmates at least two years his senior.

On the face of it, it’s worked out well: Mr Dill was manager of a group of radio stations and a high-profile Progressive Labour Party senator by his mid 20s; Mr Simons is an underwriter who sat in the Senate for the One Bermuda Alliance in his early 30s.

But while both acknowledge their acceleration was well meant by teachers and administrators, they reflected it did not come without a cost. Mr Dill, now 38, said he found it emotionally and socially difficult to be positioned as a child prodigy and separated from children his own age.

“In Bermuda, it’s really easy if there’s something unique about you to be recognised at the national level. That can be very isolating,” he said.

Classmates at Warwick were kind but viewed him as an intriguing novelty, and the feelings that triggered have never completely gone away.

It further accentuated the sense of isolation and oddness, like I was something set apart,” he said.

“It’s baked into my identity. I always feel a little uneasy. I don’t realistically attribute the entirety of that sense to my academic experience in my early childhood. I don’t know how much of it is how I’m wired versus what I experienced.”

His status as a high-flyer gave him better access to good jobs during his media career. But Mr Dill warned: “I would suggest, based on my experience, to be particularly careful about social and emotional development of academic acceleration.

“Particularly when they are little, if there’s another way to hold them close to their peer group, while still ticking their academic boxes – try that first to see how that goes.

“The lifespan of people nowadays is in the eight-decade territory. Any benefits of graduating at 21 instead of 18 won’t affect them long term.

“When they are 45 that will never matter again. The consequence of that process going wrong can hang around forever.”

Mr Simons, now 39, the son of the former education minister Gerald Simons, recalled of his time at Berkeley: “I got in trouble with teachers – I had a big mouth. I was 10 and there were students who were 18 still at school.

“My experience was atypical for many reasons, not just my age. My father was still Minister of Education. I was younger, smarter, coming from a privileged background.

“Because I was physically smaller than everybody, a lot of my classmates remember me having a sharp tongue.

“I came back years later and I was a different person. It took me a long time to get over myself.

“Your identity is wrapped up with this idea you are someone who skipped grades. But skipping grades at the age of 5, 6, 7 or 8 really has very little bearing on your abilities as an adult. It also doesn’t have a whole lot of bearing on your competence in any individual discipline.

You should enjoy your childhood and have other experiences. I can’t emphasise enough how little people care at university about whether you were smart as a child.”

Mr Dill, now the recruitment officer at Bermuda College, said that the College’s Dual Enrolment Programme can give the best of both worlds.

Under the programme, high school students can enrol in college-level courses at Bermuda College to earn credit towards an associate degree while still attending their respective high school.

Ultimately, it means they will be able to get their baccalaureate degree in two years instead of four.

He said: “I’m so grateful for the Dual Enrolment Programme because it satisfies students that are academic high performers while still not completely disconnecting them from their peer group and social development opportunities baked into the high school process.

“At the very least it keeps their extra curriculum activities going and their friend groups maintained.”

Students on the dual course aim to graduate from college and from their high school simultaneously. Most are academically high performers trying to accelerate the overall process and improve their resume and their student profile. Some, however, are genuinely gifted students that need the higher-level model in order to feel satisfied and inspired. “These are the ones I can relate to,” Mr Dill said.

“At that stage in a young person’s life, when you are 15 or 16, there’s a lot of room to make a whole bunch of unnecessary, unforced efforts. Creating conditions that just genuinely satisfy them and interest them and focus them in a way that matters to them intrinsically is endlessly valuable.”

Phyllis Curtis-Tweed, the vice-president of academic and student affairs at the College, noted full-time College students have limited time to spend at high school.

But she said: “It’s possible to merge those worlds so that they can really by engaged and be involved. Some are still prefects and athletes at their schools.”

Dr Curtis-Tweed said of the programme: “It gives students an opportunity to have college experience, to go ahead and acquire enough college credit to really get a jump on their next step, to acquire a baccalaureate degree.

“These students tend to be described as high-flyers. They are serious about their academic work, and they do well. It really is impressive to anyone looking at how many credits they have earned at that age.

“It opens the door in terms of scholarship opportunities.” Dr Curtis-Tweed said some students who completed the programme had finished their master’s degree by the age of 21 or 22.

“It gives them a headstart all round,” she said. “It also opens doors and shows a sense of commitment.

“Most employers really welcome an employee who can achieve that.

“I think any parent should be encouraging their child if they can to try and get on the Dual Enrolment Programme.”

For more information on the Bermuda College Dual Enrolment Programme, visit: www.college.bm/index.php/academics/dual-enrolment-programme

The post High-flyers: Push Yourself but Stay Connected to Your Peer Group appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Melissa Fox

Veteran parents will tell you it’s common for children of all ages, even those who are normally considered well-adjusted, to become overwhelmed by the stimulation and unfamiliarity of starting a new school or new school year.

Most, if not all, schools regularly host events such as open houses and meet-and-greets where families can explore the campus, introduce themselves to the staff, and get to know their peers (potential or otherwise). These relatively informal events can help alleviate feelings of anxiety and homesickness associated with such a big milestone, and you can make the most of them with a little forward planning.

TALK TO CURRENT STUDENTS AND ALUMNI (WHEN POSSIBLE):

Depending on the school, often you will find current or past student volunteers who have attended, or parents of children who attend, the institution who can provide a unique insight into what can be expected from life on campus.

ARRIVE EARLY:

Arriving on time or at the beginning of an open house event not only sets a precedent for future behaviour, but it guarantees you have enough time to check all of the items off your to-do/to-ask list, and that you won’t miss out on a chance to speak with the teachers and staff members you’re hoping to connect with.

ASK QUESTIONS:

It’s true what they say – there are no stupid questions, and these offer a golden opportunity to speak with your children’s educators to learn more about expectations, discuss concerns, and learn about other support options available at your school. Great questions include:

• How do you determine whether a child is struggling, and what can be done about it?

• What life skills are students developing in their class?

• What kind of communication is expected throughout the year?

• What can you do at home to support your child throughout the year?

• How does the school practice discipline?

• What type of techniques are being taught to help children self-regulate, and how you can enact these techniques at home.

Parents of children with special needs may also want to take the time to find out if there are any programs or services specifically geared towards these students.

MAKE MOM/DAD FRIENDS:

Networking with the parents of your children’s peers is about more than just increasing the size of your social worker. These people will be volunteering on campus or on class trips, supervising extracurricular activities, or hosting playdates and sleepovers. They help build your village, keep you in the loop, and step in when you need a school-related (or personal) favour.

Hand in hand with making friends with other parents, at open houses and meet-and-greets you can learn about how to volunteer for the many activities that happen during the school year. From chaperoning trips to building props to donating school supplies or extra gear (socks, hats, etc), the opportunities to lend a hand are endless.

At this stage, you can inquire as to whether there is any paperwork needed before you can volunteer, i.e., some schools require a criminal record check before giving a parent the okay to volunteer. Ask about the expected time commitments, whether there are financial costs that may be incurred, or if you’ll be required to provide assistance with things like transportation, food, or arts and crafts. You may also want to find out who the point person is for volunteer activities so you can keep track during the school year.

GET THE LAY OF THE LAND:

Like adults, children can experience feelings of social anxiety when introduced to a new environment. Visiting the school beforehand gives you a chance to help familiarize yourself and your child with the grounds. Help them to find where the bathrooms are, explore different classrooms, try out the playground equipment, and locate the office or their cubby or locker if they’ve been assigned one. This can help build their confidence but will go a long way to ensuring they’re able to navigate the first few days with ease.

It’s important to point out here that there is a distinction between open houses and meet-and-greets. Where an open house is often used as an opportunity for the whole family to explore the school and its promised offerings, the meet-and-greet is usually used to introduce the student to their teacher in a more intimate setting.

Parents are often welcome; however, they provide more of a supportive role. Compared to the open house, the meet-and-greet may seem like it doesn’t serve a useful purpose but many teachers take this time to get to know children in a one-on-one setting, something that is rare during a school day filled with different moods and personalities.

The time may be short, but a good teacher will be able to gather the information they need to begin to understand how your child learns best, their specific interests, and how they can help them along their learning journey.

Throwing your kids into the deep end may work when it comes to swimming (you’ll figure out pretty quickly whether they’ll sink or swim), but to support a positive school experience, it’s best to provide them with tools that build their confidence from the get-go. When they know in advance what to expect, with luck, their adjustment period will be significantly shorter, which means they’ll be able to get down to the business of learning and having fun.

The post Find your place when you head (back) to school appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Melissa Fox

Upgraded electronics are high on everyone’s list, especially since work/ study-from-home orders have turned these once-luxury items from “wants” to “needs”. Despite facing global challenges in supply, island tech shops are prepared to meet the demand for new (or new to you) technology this school year.

Supply chain issues are part and parcel for business owners on an island where the majority of goods are imported. Faced with concerns like component shortages, manufacturer shutdowns, and extended wait times, local retailers have become adept at thinking on their feet and coming up with outside-of-the-box solutions to provide Bermudians with the products and services they need, when they need them. In anticipation of continued delays, many buyers planned ahead, ordering larger quantities of stock than normal from a variety of vendors.

“We have been able to accommodate our customers because we’ve anticipated the fact that things would be hard to get,” explains PTech general manager Todd Martin. “It has been a difficult time for us to source, and we have had to go beyond what we typically would. As a result of the pandemic, we’ve had to reach out and get creative.”

Joseph Calauro, manager at Redlaser Ltd., agrees: “The challenge has been, and will remain, availability. We have a good supply of tablets and laptops, computer sleeves, wireless headsets, and earbuds, which have become very popular for Zoom calls, but supply is worse now than it has ever been, and we expect things to continue to be this bad until at least the beginning of 2022.”

Parents on the back-to-school mission for new tech for their students will find a variety of devices in stock at both PTech and Redlaser Ltd, including tablets, laptops, desktops, and the accessories that go with them.

Budget-conscious and eco-friendly shoppers will warm to the trend of upgrading existing devices or purchasing refurbished products from authorized resellers in favour of paying top dollar for something new.

“Why replace it for the sake of replacing it when you can stretch it another two years or so, or hand it down to someone who might not need as much processing power and can still benefit from a slightly used one?” Mr Calauro says.

If you plan your purchase and try to use the device as intended, you’ll likely see it to the end of its lifetime, anywhere between 3 and 5 years. With external storage and little fixes, like upgrading a hard drive or RAM, it’s possible to improve the performance of an older machine, at least long enough until supply has improved, and you can easily get your hands on an affordable replacement.

For those not interested in tinkering with their technology, the island is home to several authorized retailers for brands like Dell, HP, and Apple, and many local service providers are certified and happy to honour brand warranties.

“Refurbished products are a great way to meet your tech needs,” adds Robert Swainson at MobileTech Ltd. A refurbished item is one that will have had a small manufacturing issue that was fixed and then certified for sale.

“They generally have a shorter warranty length, but the price tag can be much nicer.” MobileTech is a “one-stop-IT-shop” and the Lenovo authorized sales and service centre for Bermuda, and though they cater more to commercial clientele, they provide retail services both in their brick-and-mortar location and on their website, mobiletech.bm.

The “It” Tech Items for 2021 Technology has changed significantly over the last several years, but the largest changes come in the smallest packages. Tablets have become de rigueur for schoolwork, Mr Martin notes, because of their affordability and functionality, which is far beyond “what a laptop would have done 10 years ago.”

Mr Swainson also argues in favour of tablets augmented with a wireless keyboard or laptop for schooling, adding: “With most schools adopting cloud-based delivery methods you don’t need to have a machine powerful enough to launch the space shuttle.

And with wireless and mobile devices we can kind of spread out to different corners of the house. During Lockdown I was able to convert the garage to my at-home workspace.” That schools are trending towards cloudbased computing is great news, considering the difficulty buyers have been having getting printers on the shelves.

“We’re struggling to get printers of any kind, any model, any brand,” says Mr Calaruo. “It’s our biggest obstacle.” The same goes for PTech, though Mr Martin notes that they have a number on hand, with limited quantity expected.

Even though prices are high and shortages are expected to continue, Bermudians on back-to-school buying trips should find that our island retailers have gone above and beyond to guarantee students have the tech they need to support their educational journey this school year, and, as always, the sooner you can make your purchase, the better. As Mr Swainson cautions: “Don’t try back to school shopping the week before the schools reopen. We advise our clients to make decisions as quickly as possible as things sell out sometimes in hours.”

The post Need Tech? Local Retailers Have You Covered appeared first on RG Magazines.

The correlation between concentration and hunger is well documented: a body that needs sustenance is routinely incapable of performing at an optimal level, let alone a level anywhere near efficient enough to withstand the rigours of an intense academic program.

Any behaviour therapist worth their weight in salt (which I am) will tell you that a hungry student is a student who will have difficulty focussing, settling, regulating their behaviour, and even functioning in a classroom setting.

If hunger happens to be paired with a behavioural condition like oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), then an acute risk of highly disruptive or explosive behaviour can manifest. Even as adults, mood regulation and explosiveness can often be linked directly to hunger.

There is, after all, plenty of weight behind the term “hangry.”

Suffice it to say, avoiding hunger in schools is a very high priority. No student can focus on academic concerns when they are distracted by hunger pangs, and schools need to recognize that student hunger needs to be made extinct if academic progress is expected.

The Student Services department at the Berkeley institute knows this well. Charged with helping students with behavioural challenges to function in class and around school, the department goes above and beyond to provide brown bag lunches for students who need extra food to help them cope.

Knowing the strong link between hunger and mood imbalances, the Student Services department takes the brilliant measure of actively eliminating hunger and thereby removing a common trigger for volatile students.

Of course, the actual food that is provided for students is very important as well. The Department of Health advises parents to send their children to school with lunches packed with fresh fruits, yogurts, whole grain breads, light, health-conscious snacks, and plenty of water.

Many primary schools in Bermuda have completely banned any liquid refreshment but water, including fruit juices. This is a great development, and a big step along the road to creating healthy, strong, emotionally well-balanced adults. Modern drinks are often riddled with sugar (especially fruit juices), which have also been known to trigger hyperactivity and mood imbalances in children.

One area where local primary schools could improve, however, is with their hot lunch programs. These programs are optional and are designed to help parents with weekly lunch planning. As a parent myself, I can say that I very much appreciate the efforts made by school staff to provide periodic hot lunches. The issue, however, is that these lunches often consist of less-than-nutritious components like hot dogs, chicken burgers, and pizza.

In France, elementary schools are built with full-service kitchens designed to prepare hot lunches for students daily. The meals produced in these kitchens are nutritious, delicious, and culturally rich. It’s no wonder, then, that France is celebrated for its unique and decadent cuisine; their people are fed extremely well throughout their lives. This, of course, while ideal, would involve a wholesale cultural sea change; a paradigm shift we’re probably not likely to see in our lifetimes.

We can, however, start to put more emphasis on the importance of food and nutrition to the human condition. From production, to preparation, to consumption, food needs to be an integral part of any system of education.

The Coalition for the Protection of Children (CPC) knows the importance of food and nutrition for school-aged children, and they’ve developed some excellent programs aimed at providing a solid nutritional foundation for local students.

Program Coordinator Denae D. Burchall describes several of the CPC initiatives: “Our Food Storehouse provides essential grocery items to families with children ages 0-17 in their care. In addition to providing groceries, we also engage clients in support services to address the gaps that cause them to seek food aid.

“Additionally, we run our Breakfast for Every Child Program in 17 public pre, middle, and primary schools. The program provides cereal, granola, juice, and fruit daily. The program is open to all students no matter their socioeconomic status and does not require a formal sign-up. We strategically ensure that the program is universal so that there is no stigma attached to accessing breakfast at school.”

The CPC is very willing to help in the battle against student mood imbalances and the pitfalls that come with having “hangry” children in your school, and sourcing that help is easy. Ms Burchall continues:

“To access assistance from CPC, clients must schedule an intake appointment with one of our workers. Clients can contact us via 295-1150 or email at [email protected]. Additionally, prospective clients may Whatsapp 732- 1155 or 705-2672 to set up an appointment.

“Our Breakfast for Every Child Program can operate at any public school that expresses interest. If you are a parent, teacher, or staff member and would like the breakfast program to operate at your school, please contact Denae Burchall via 295-1150. Breakfast support can also be provided on an individual basis.”

This is the kind of program that should be operating daily in every school across the island as breakfast is a fundamentally vital meal; a meal that goes missed by far too many students daily. Making breakfast a communal act in schools would be an amazing initiative, providing bonding time for students and staff, opportunities to develop soft skills like manners and table etiquette, and even curriculum enhancements like food preparation and service.

Back in France, school mealtimes are integral parts of the curriculum, which nurtures a lifelong appreciation, respect, and love of food and healthy eating. Making time for meals and building curriculum and community around meals in schools would raise our nutritional intellect and make us more mindful of how the things we eat can absolutely impact how we’re able to live our lives.

In the meantime, support systems like Student Services departments in schools and the Coalition for the Protection of Children must continue to be acknowledged and celebrated for the quietly vital resources they provide.

The post HANGRY? Eating well for school appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Tim Smith

The school run can add strain to the busy life of any working parent – but you can relieve some of that rush-hour pressure at no cost by taking advantage of public buses or private minibuses . A network of free private minibuses has developed in the past couple of years to provide a reliable alternative to public transport, helping ensure children can get to their destination with a minimum of fuss.

The Bermuda Minibus Association boasts a total of 42 large buses and 28 smaller buses – including more than 1,600 seats when capacity is not reduced by COVID-19 restrictions – to cover all school routes from St George’s to Dockyard.

Ronue Cann, the association’s president, said the system, which has been subsidized by the Bermuda Government, has allowed children to feel more comfortable than when they relied purely on public buses.

Mr Cann operated his ABC Minibus from Hamilton to West End Primary School throughout the past school year, which allowed him to build a rapport with the children he delivered to school every day.

Our job is to protect and get these children to their destination,” he said.

“We want to do this for our community and kids and parents. The school knows me. If my bus is running late, I will call them.

“Those kids are going to be safe on a minibus. They know my bus, they know me. It’s a solid, smooth operation.” He added: “Put your kids on the minibus – it’s free. We have buses coming from every angle. The buses are strictly for children, and you are not dealing with the general public.”

The Minibus Association will advertise details on how to use the system in the coming weeks, but Mr Cann advised any parents to contact the Ministry of Education for information in the meantime.

Many schoolchildren still travel on public buses, of course, and the schedule for 2020-21 can be found here: www.gov.bm/sites/default/files/2020%20School%20Bus%20Schedule.pdf.

The Department of Public Transportation issued the following tips for keeping students safe while boarding, exiting, and riding on the bus:

• Wear your mask when the bus arrives and have your pass ready to show the bus operator

• Use hand sanitiser when you board the bus

• Parents should visit the bus stop with your child and show them how and where to wait (6ft away from the kerb and other passengers)

• Students should always get to the bus stop on time

• Do not run to catch a bus

• Do not play on a bus or at the bus stop

• • Never walk closely in front or behind a bus

• Stay seated when the bus is moving

• Do not put items or any part of your body outside of the windows

• Keep voices and noise low

• Follow the instructions of the bus operator

• Do not walk in between buses at the Hamilton Central Terminal

• If your child needs to cross the street after exiting the bus, they should wait for the bus to leave the bus stop, look both ways, and then use the crosswalk

• Check with your child’s school office to get a bus pass for the school term. Bus passes are valid for the school year.

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By Peter Backeberg

Students often eagerly anticipate the chance to go on a field trip. It is an opportunity to break free from the everyday routine of the classroom for a bit of fun and excitement.

As it turns out, educators are just as keen to get their students out into the community, for the educational opportunities. “Field trips are both included in the curriculum and encouraged,” says Dr Llewellyn Simmons, the director of academics at the Department of Education.

“They align with the different disciplines, in particular, the sciences, social studies, career pathways, and the arts. The research and evidence show that (field trips) expose students to real world learning opportunities and experiences.”

Despite Bermuda’s size there is a wide array and variety of quality field trips both locally and overseas. In fact, the overseas trips are “common practice” starting at the primary level and continuing throughout the school years.

Some involve select groups of students, such as student leaders attending conferences like the Youth Model United Nations or teams participating in sporting or debate competitions. Others are offered to a wider set of students and are often multipurpose.

“An example would be a college tour that includes cultural and historical experiences,” explains Dr Simmons. “One popular trip is visiting the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. This goes back at least as far as 2001, when Bermuda was featured in the Institute’s Folk Life Festival.”

The key, says Dr Simmons, is that field trips are “purposeful, planned, and feature active learning for the students.” These criteria are met by providing opportunities that are not regularly experienced by students, expose them to aspects of natural history and culture, and include an educational element.

Locally, some organisations actively include learning that is connected to the school curriculum, such as the Bermuda National Trust, which has published 12 teacher resource guides that are linked to the curriculum laid out by the Ministry of Education’s social studies and Cambridge science curriculums.

“We are very happy with the partnership between the National Trust and public education,” says Dr Simmons.

“Another example is a visit to BIOS to go onboard the (Atlantic) Explorer ship or to snorkel at Northrock. Many of our students are never given the opportunity to snorkel off the shoreline let alone all the way out at Northrock. How many even own a mask and snorkelling gear?”

It is this level of exploration that Dr Simmons says can really open up students minds to the possibilities of their home country: “If we don’t share these aspects of Bermuda with our children, exposing them to it in a real-world way, then we are not exposing them to the greater possibilities of what’s around us.

“We have some truly unique aspects to both human and natural life on the Island – there’s a lot packed into these 21 square miles.”

To illustrate this point, below is a sample of additional field trips (not mentioned above) that are available to students in Bermuda throughout the school year.

Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) 

Located in City Hall in Hamilton, BNG offers free art tours to all schools. These can be linked with the classroom curriculum to support class studies and projects as needed. All school visits must be booked in advance.

Bermuda Society of Arts (BSoA)

Bermuda’s oldest art gallery offers a variety of options for school visits depending on the exhibits, which change every three weeks. Teachers are encouraged to call ahead to learn more about BSoA exhibits and how to plan their trip to the gallery.

Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI)

The BUEI School Programme offers a wide variety of topics that connect the marine environment to the Cambridge science and math framework and the Bermuda social studies curriculum. Students are immersed in hands-on lessons and labs, and may also take part in guided exhibit tours, scavenger hunts and presentations on recent discoveries in ocean exploration.

Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS)

BZS is the support charity for the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ). Examples of BZS field trips include Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve, Paget Marsh, Spittal Pond and, of course, interactive experiences at BAMZ. The trips include adventure hikes and discussions on topics like habitat restoration and conservation, Kindley Field history, including NASA, and plant identifications.

Dolphin Quest

Dolphin Quest hosts school groups at their facility at the National Museum of Bermuda in Dockyard, to learn about dolphins and other sea creatures through fun and engaging activities. These experiences can include dolphin interactions, classroom experiences and a 6-lesson mini-series tied to the Ministry of Education and Cambridge curriculum.

Hartley’s Undersea Walk

This helmet diving experience has been a staple of Bermuda’s tourism offerings since 1947. As a field trip it is an opportunity for students experience Bermuda’s underwater world in a truly unique way. Dives take place in 8-10 feet of water and less than two miles offshore. Teachers should call ahead to learn more and discuss possible pricing options for schools.

National Museum of Bermuda (NMB)

NMB promotes the preservation, understanding, and enjoyment of Bermuda’s cultural heritage. School visits are free and self-guided. However, NMB does provide advice about content and structure of visits and host a Teacher Resources page on their website at: nmb.bm/learn/teacher-resources.

MULTI-DAY FIELD TRIPS

Endeavour Programme

Born out of Bermuda’s hosting of the 35th America’s Cup in 2017, Endeavour is a five-day experiential programme featuring a science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) curriculum through Sailing. Concepts including buoyancy, wind power and measurement, sailing geometry and sailing fundamentals. In addition, there are lessons about Bermuda’s maritime history, weather patterns, and health and nutrition. The programme is offered to every first-year middle school student at most of Bermuda’s public and private schools.

Bermuda Sloop Foundation (BSF)

Bermuda Sloop Foundation (BSF) is entering its 15th year of providing award-winning experiential learning/sail training experiences aboard the Spirit of Bermuda (Spirit). Considered a rite of passage for middle schoolers, Spirit’s programme has been described as “one of the most engaging and beneficial programmes available to adolescents.” The programme’s objectives are Skills Development, Social-Emotional Learning and connection to Bermuda’s environment and unique history. Students learn every aspect of sailing Spirit; Hands-on learning is key – all learn to prepare, plan, navigate, sail and better understand the natural world while developing essential life skills for success.

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Packs of bright coloured pencils and felt tipped pens, for example, or the fresh smelling blank pages of notebooks and pads. 

Shiny new school supplies, including contemporary lunch boxes and backpacks, are the perfect incentives for students to start the next academic year with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Fortunately, a variety of stores in Bermuda offer plenty of choice and, in some cases, discounts to schools and teachers. 

A.F. Smith 292-1882 | www.afsmith.bm 

As Marketing Director Morgan Smith explains, deals directly with the Department of Education and with many private schools. A partner with Support Public Schools, the store sells in bulk, offering the best possible discounts and delivering right to the schools. 

At the store itself, supplies range from traditional stationery to student printers and chairs, at “very aggressive pricing”, with regular cost-effective promotions. A.F. Smith is Bermuda’s Apple Authority for products, including MacBooks, iPads, and AirPods. Crayola, Elmer’s, and Mead are some of their biggest brands while customer favourites include geometry sets, pencil boxes, notebooks, and Texas Instrument calculators. Teachers visiting the store receive year-round 10 percent discount. 

People’s Pharmacy 292-7527 | https://orders.peoples.bm 

People’s has a large range of school supplies, especially for nursery to pre-schoolers, as well as older students. Assistant Manager Sinead Scott-James is particularly excited about their newly launched brand, Talking Out of Turn, whose products include laptop sleeves, pencil cases, desk organizer sets, and pens. Stephen Joseph is an excellent brand for pre-schoolers offering sleeping mats, art smocks, backpacks, and lunch bags. Eco-friendly lunch boxes by Planetbox and Yumbox are also for sale. All customers receive a loyalty card. Discounts are available on case packs. 

The Phoenix Centre 441-279-5451 | phoenixstores.com 

The Phoenix does not have discounts for students but as Store Manager, Kevin Rivard explains, “We try to source products at affordable everyday prices.” Items include binders, report covers, paper, pens, pencils, erasers, composition books, pencil cases, backpacks, lunch bags, Crayola brand crayons, pencil crayons and markers. 

School Boxez 747-8066 | www.schoolboxez.com 

School Boxez is an online store, perfect for those who haven’t time to shop. Tracy Burgess offers three categories of school stationery kits at set prices: upper primary school box, middle school box and high school box, all containing essential items. She is currently offering a 10 percent discount while supplies last. 

The Stationery Store 295-6311 | www.stationerystore.bm 

The Stationery Store offers a ten percent discount to teachers with valid ID. As Janee Pitt, Store Manager, says, “We are a one stop shop for all your back-to-school needs. Bring in your child’s school list and we should have everything you need. Our warehouse does accept orders from schools, but we ask for orders to be placed as early as possible to make sure we fulfil as quickly as possible.” Stationery brands include Mead, Oxford, Expo, Sharpi, Helix, Papermate, and Crayola. Recently introduced are their exclusive Back to School labels, dishwasher and microwave safe and perfect for lunch boxes, backpacks, and hard surface materials. 

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The island’s organisations that work with students with specialized learning needs made some necessary, but positive, changes to continue to provide services to their students, even when the year has continued to prove challenging. 

In a perfect world all learning would be created as individualized programmes, knowing that so many children have different learning styles. But while many children are able to excel and learn through mainstream education, there are children who need a more specialized approach to their learning. 

The island is served by schools, organizations, and programmes that ensure that every child – no matter how they learn – can thrive throughout their education and beyond. 

The past year has been challenging for many, but for the organisations that work with children who learn and think differently they had to find a way to shift to continue to provide a dynamic learning environment for their students. 

Many met the challenges and found new and inventive ways to provide their services. 

While Tomorrow’s Voices Autism Early Intervention Centre has always geared their programme to the individual needs of their students with autism and other developmental differences, their staff was able to integrate “virtual platform skill acquisition” to make sure their clients continued to receive services virtually when the Centre closed, and for any closures that may occur again in the future. 

“Although we were presented with challenges and obstacles, thinking outside the box to ensure that our clients were still provided with services presented a silver lining for both our clinical environment and our clients,” said Thea Furbert, Tomorrow’s Voices chairwoman and co-founder. 

“To ensure that our clients were not affected greatly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the team worked hard to add in teaching methods and technology that would help with seamless services. Although we had to suspend some of our programmes in March of 2020 due to the high incidences of COVID-19 cases, we are now back to running all of our programmes to ensure our special individuals do not lose out.” 

The Centre was able to continue its in-house programme and this year they were able to provide their incredibly successful social skills and summer programmes in-person. 

This year, the Centre is also piloting their adult services programme “to ensure we are supporting clients throughout their lifespan.” 

Particularly during a stressful time within the community, which the pandemic has and continues to have, having a continuum of services is essential, Mrs Furbert added. 

At the Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning, where students are provided with a personalised and flexible learning environment, teachers were also able to adapt their instruction regardless of whether they were learning in the classroom or at home. 

“It was important to us that students still received a personalized approach while in daily small group lessons during shelter-in-place order,” said BCCL’s co-founder and head of school, Cindy Corday. “This dedication ensured that students continued to find academic success, despite the pandemic.” 

The school had also established its Social and Emotional Learning Action Plan, which was introduced in 2019, “which positively impacts teacher-student interactions as well as how students work with each other,” added Mrs Corday. 

That has been a huge part of the success of their students in their interactions, and in particular the past year. The school also makes opportunities for their students to have specialized services during the school day, and they are adding a Speech and Language Therapist to their team this year to provide even more seamless coverage for their students. 

One of the benefits that pivoting to prepare for any impacts of COVID-19 that Tomorrow’s Voices found included ways to continue to benefit their clients as the new school year begins. 

“Some of the silver linings that have developed as a result of pivoting during the initiation of COVID-19 protocols include a higher level of flexibility seen from our clients, the ability to virtually provide consulting training to parents by walking them through strategies that will assist them and their leaner in the household, teaching some of our learners how to engage across a virtual platform, shifting our community training to virtual platforms that now allows us to reach a wider audience, and offering virtual on-demand workshop to parents that they can watch at their leisure.” 

One of the important services that the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy provides for their students is their summer camp programme, which runs during the month of July and is particularly helpful for parents of students that have more profound learning challenges and are need of more complex care. 

“The programme’s primary goal is for students to continue to work on their current Individualised Education Plan goals and reinforce the skills they have mastered during the school year,” said Education Minister Diallo Rabain at a June press conference. 

Along with targeted academic, behavioural and therapeutic interventions for their students, Hope Academy also works with community outreach programmes, such as WindReach, which continues to help enrich the lives of the Hope Academy students through its education and recreation activities, such as their therapeutic riding programme. 

During the pandemic, WindReach provided remote learning packages to its partner programmes, to continue to provide learning opportunities during stay-at-home orders for individuals involved in the charity’s programmes. 

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Change is constant. Adjusting to new routines and environments is an intensely essential skill for human beings. Getting back to school is all about learning how to manage dramatic life changes and resetting attitudes, habits, and motivations. That’s right; there’s an indispensable life lesson imbedded in the very process of going “back to school.” 

Coping with new people, new schedules, new buildings, and new classrooms can be onerous at times, but there are very definite ways to alleviate the stress of the unfamiliar and find comfort in this strange newness. Perhaps the most well versed ‘adjusters’ to this newness are teachers themselves; professionals who’ve spent most of their lives learning the ins and outs of the academy. 

We asked some veteran educators for tips on getting settled into a new school, schedule, and routine with minimal stress and, hopefully, no lingering trauma. 

After two decades teaching Science at the Middle School level, Mr James knows a thing or two about how to settle into a new school year. Mr James testifies that, “A new school year promises many new experiences, new friends, new teachers and a new environment, but most of all it provides you with new beginnings.” 

Speaking mainly about the often-awkward transition from primary school, where one teacher leads a class through all the core subjects, to middle school, where students must travel from class to class and teacher to teacher to complete their daily schedule, Mr James waxes positive. 

“The great thing is that you are starting on a fresh page, so make the most of it. No matter how your primary school experience was, your middle school experience can be that much better.” 

Mr James goes on to provide a few tips to help new middle-schoolers navigate the unfamiliar waters they’ve been cast into: 

“Any questions? Ask your homeroom teacher. Middle school is new, with different classes that can have you travelling all over the place. Don’t be afraid to ask your homeroom teacher for help with your new schedule or class locations. They are there to help you, feel free to ask for help or clarity. 

“Be organized. Unlike primary school, where you basically had one teacher, middle schools have a variety of teachers teaching a variety of subjects. It is important for you to be organized. 

a) Get a file folder to keep your books and handouts in. 

b) A planner will help to keep track of all those assignments and events. Start practicing with a planner now to become familiar with how to track events and dates. 

c) A pencil case will help you to have all your pens, pencils, crayons, and scissors, so that you know where they are when you need them. 

d) Make two copies of your class schedule so you know where you need to be and at what time. 

“Don’t Panic! The middle school campus is bigger than your primary school, you may get lost. There will be many new faces along with old familiar faces. They key is not to panic. You will get used to everyone, and the new layout of the campus. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You will be uncomfortable at first, but it will get better. 

“Get rest and good nutrition. A lollipop and a bag of chips is NOT breakfast. Staying up all night to play Fortnite or to like your friends’ pics on Instagram is great for the summer, but when school starts, let’s take care of ourselves. A sleepy, unfed body does not help you to be successful. Get in early, pack a good lunch, bring fruit and water and let these healthy choices fuel your day. Leave the chips and candy for the weekend. 

“Have Fun! Middle school is about exploration. Science experiments, cooking classes, woodwork, going on the sloop, snorkelling with BAMZ…ENJOY IT! Do your best but remember to get involved and have fun, all while learning.” 

Ms Butterfield, another educator with over two decades of experience, provides more relationship focused advice to students entering a new learning environment for the first time: “Make choices and seek environments that positively impact and benefit you. 

“Remember you are only responsible for you, as you can only control you. Build a positive friendship with at least one caring safe adult in your school that you can go to for assistance. Remember you have an advisor, year level team leader, counsellor, Educational Therapist/ETA team and Learning Support/ Para-educator team in your new school, they are all there to assist you in navigating safely and productively. 

“These persons will assist you in navigating safely within your new environment. They may assist you in recognizing the tools you already have within yourself, and if need be, expose you to more specific tools you may need to navigate challenges you will come up against academically, socially, and emotionally. Again, find at least one trusting adult who you can rely on to help keep you safe.” 

Turning to the potentially overwhelming schedule that comes with a whole new school adventure, Ms Butterfield offers the following: 

“The most important thing to consider when adjusting to a new schedule is to ask yourself ‘How will I best remember my schedule?’ Once you know this answer then you can create or seek assistance in creating a schedule that supports your memory style. The schedule can be visual (posted with images that represent each subject), auditory (phone calendar with soft sound timed reminders), or kinesthetic (a hand printed schedule that has sequential days and times in just words and times or pictures with words and times). Place a schedule in your bag, one in or on your desk, one in your locker or homeroom class. 

“Take note of the time allotted for routes and distances between the classrooms. Organize your required books based on the day’s schedule, place them in a waterproof bag and in your school bag the night before. These preparations will assist in ensuring an easier transition when navigating your new schedule. Remember you can always change the presentation of your schedule as you need.” 

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