Charlestown, Nevis – Monday, April 20, 2020, was a historic day in the lives of the teachers, parents and students of the Nevis Academy. The privately run institution reopened school, yet having the doors closed, in accordance with the current COVID-19 regulations.
It is an innovation of the Principal of the school, Dr. Andrea Bussue.
Dr. Bussue in a Facebook post recounted the first day of school thus:
“Today, the students of Nevis Academy went back to school. I am grateful for a successful day. We had our General Assembly that begun at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom. I became rather emotional as I opened the app and saw that there were 38 students in the waiting room 10 minutes before the start of the meeting all dressed up in their uniforms. When the students entered and started greeting me and each other, the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. My students were starting school at home because of this killer virus (COVID-19) in our nation. A historical day indeed. School was open but the doors were shut. This day and this time will never be forgotten by these young ones. While submerging myself in preparing for this day, I guess my emotions were kept in check by hard work and overwork. But then….it happened.
I am so grateful to my staff of female teachers who rallied behind me and got the work done. Their positive attitude towards this historic move must be commended. Never once did they complain or show any resistance. I thank God for them.
The students were so excited and you can hear the chatter. I get texts. When it was all over, we just had one handful of students missing. We will seek them out. They want to know if they have to wear their uniform again (sms). I really miss their presence in the school yard running up and down.
I am grateful for the many positive feedback I have received from the parents. Thank you for your support. Thank you for responding to my many voice notes. Thank you for going the extra mile for your child, our children. Together we can help shape their future and I pray that they will always represent Nevis Academy by being involved and community-minded.
I am so grateful to Ms. Longford for these screenshots. Hosting and taking pictures was impossible. She tried to capture some of it for historical purposes. Thank you, thank you.
I am grateful to Ms. Claxton and my Education Officer Mrs. Terres Dore for their continued support of Nevis Academy.
I am grateful to Father Peters for his spiritual guidance and for always being there for the students of Nevis Academy.
I am grateful to all my part-time staff as well for their support and their willingness to go on their journey with us.
I am grateful for the positive support of our Coach, Carlisle Powell. He is always spreading the word about Nevis Academy and the things we are doing. It’s his school, he is our coach.
To all family members and friends who provided valuable feedback about their experiences, who have traveled this road before, I say Thank You. It provides insight and helps me avoid the hiccups that can happen when one is thrust into a situation such as this. Transitioning from traditional class to a virtual classroom is not easy. It takes commitment, a positive attitude, a love for children and hard, hard work. It ain’t easy.
I do look forward to a wonderful term. I pray that soon COVID-19 will be a thing of the past. We are blessed indeed to have had a successful day with minimal challenges. To all I say a BIG THANK YOU. Remember to say a prayer for Nevis Academy as you would for all the schools in the Nation. We need it. THANK YOU.”