TB.Net received the following message from the Sandy Bank Primary School asking us to post it on TB.Net. We would like to do a bit more than post the message. We would like to put a challenge forward to anyone reading this who would like to donate towards hiring a remedial teacher. TB.Net will match all funds donated up to a total of US$500. So donate now and we will match your donation. Any and all contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Sandy Bank Primary School has identified an urgent need for a remedial teacher to teach literacy to a group of students aged 11-12 years of age, who have unfortunately failed to learn to read and write, and are soon to leave primary school and face an uncertain future. Our aim is to employ a part time trained literacy teacher at a cost of $15,000 Jamaican dollars per month (US $174.00) to concentrate on this group of 12 students.

How To Help:

1) Contribute online via PayPal

2) Contact Rebecca 876-965-0126 or Miss Zane or 876-387-5816 directly.

What its all about:

Sandy Bank Primary School

Hi Rebecca

Sent with love from Nigel & Shauna.

Thanks so very very much Nigel and Shauna!! Can't wait to see both of you back here again soon.

This is not meant to put down the effort by TreasureBeach.net to raise these funds, but what happened to the $100,000J raised by Koriann for the school or the nearly $10,000 Canadian given by Karl Hale. These were both recent donations.

Koriann has said from the beginning she was specifically raising funds for the building of the school auditorium.

I called Miss Zane today and asked about the donation made by Mr. Hale. These funds have also been marked for a specific project dealing with the creation of a learning center specifically designed for grades 1 - 4 students.

What they are asking for from us is a teacher who will work one on one with students in grades 5 & 6. Several of these students have learning disabilities which require specific tutoring to their particular need.

does the Sandy Bank school has a board, if yes, who are the members.

Could someone please explain what the learning center is.

The Sandy Bank Primary School Board is made up of the following members:

Eliston (Bones) Deleon - Chairperson
Jason Henzell - Vice Chairperson
Wonlis Campbell
Lurlene James
Veronica Parchment
Zane Ebanks

The school indeed has a board, i would expect that when there is a discussion or any question asked of the school a board member would respond. No disrespect to you Rebecca you have been most helpful, and i am sure we all appreciate that, but the school board needs to active.

I agree, i havn't heard anything from the school board except for Miss Zane, I didn't even know there was a school board. The board needs to participate, get involve and let the community know whats going on.

Thank you "Be Active", however, I don't think we can say the school board is inactive if they are not posting on TB.Net. They probably just don't have time to check TB.Net because they are so active.

Just a thought.

Rebecca, I doubt you can say the School Board is any busier than you are. You don't have to make excuses for them.

I am suprise 'parent' that you are not aware that there is an active school board at the school. This tells me that you are one of those who has not been involved in the PTA or other functions held at the school. The parents are always informed at the PTA of all the projects that are taking place in the institutions and getting the parents feed back. And I am sure the parents should know that the board has to approve this. The school also has functions that the chairperson and other members of the board participate in. I also believe that when Miss Zane the principal responds she does it on behalf of the board. And by the way a number of the projects done at this school came about by the instrumentality of board members.This school cannot ask for a more dependable and committed school board.

'i know' does every parent has a child/children at Sandy Bank Primary School?

Let me introduce myself - I'm Irene Nembhard - a Jamaican and TB resident for some of the year and I've been volunteering since last October doing remedial teaching at Sandy Bank Primary School. I am currently teaching 6 Grade 5 boys how to read. The reason why they have not learnt to read, despite attending school for 4+ years and despite all of the efforts of their teachers, is that they probably have a learning disability. This must have been very frustrating and humiliating for them as they are all intelligent children.

They come to me for an hour everday. I teach them in the Learning Centre, a lovely large room with 6 computers, each with a wide selection of literacy software. You won't be surprised to hear that the boys love to play computer games, so this has been a great way for them to increase their reading vocabulary and build up their self confidence while having fun. We also have competions with vocabulary flash cards - which are hotly contested - as well as individual reading time.

Thanks to treasurebeach.net's contribution and others gladly received, a paid remedial teacher - Jacinta Jackson - joined me last Monday. This has meant that we were able to start assisting 3 Grade 6 children who want to improve their reading competency so that they will be better able to approach the GSat exams later this year. It also means that other children who need our help and who we are yet to identify, will be able to receive one to one help.

Like any school population, there is a certain percentage of children who have learning disabiliites. Mrs Taylor who runs the Learning Centre, works with a selection of children from Grades 1 - 4 to assist them get over any problems they may be experiencing with learning to read at their age level. However some of these children need so much one to one help that an additional remedial teacher was needed.

I am very happy to be able to say that all the children who attend the Learning Centre and who I work with are making progress. For some, it may take many months of effort by them and by us to help them overcome their disability and learn to read with confidence. We are all committed to ensuring that they do - with your help.

This topic is close to my heart! I often wonder why there are so many children in Treasure beach with learning disabilities? in my humble opinion,I am thinking everyone one in Treasure Beach is close family and it is affecting our children. I welcome the experts feedback on this topic.

Hey folks. Only $270 US has been raised so far. Donations will be taken up until March 1. Let's try to meet our goal of $500 US by then.

$230 US to go!!

Thanks to Peter for your donation!

We are still short of funds to match our $500 US. Every contribution helps!

As a reminder, we are matching all donations up to US$500. That means that if you give $10, we give an extra $10. Your your donation is doubled.

1) Contribute online via PayPal

2) Contact Rebecca 876-965-0126 or Miss Zane or 876-387-5816 directly.

Sandy Bank Primary is my home school so it is a pleasure to contribute to the Literacy Programe for students with disability.Our children are our future.
I know that Miss Zane is a knowledgable ,caring and devoted principal
Special thanks to Rebecca for her commitment to the community 
Kindly accept $250 to the fund.

Thank you so very much Athlyn! Your contribution is much appreciated and needed. We also appreciate your concern and support of the Sandy Bank Primary School and the community.

Thank you SO MUCH to Rebecca and Miss Zane for providing me with a tour of Sandy Bank Primary School this afternoon. I was touched by the open, friendly welcome from the children and staff. There is a truly committed group of educators, and many bright, enthusiastic children who are interested in learning, at Sandy Bank.

Coming from a community where schools have an abundance of resources, many of which are underutilized, I was disheartened to see the old and broken desks the children must sit in, as well as the antiquated resources available to the teachers, especially given their obvious commitment to teaching and the students' eagerness to learn.

While my visit was in response to the need for funds to hire a literacy tutor, I left feeling compelled to do even more to support the school. When I return to the States, I hope to find ways to help generate additional funds to purchase new desks/chairs.

If you are visitor, especially a repeat visitor who loves this community, interested in working with me on this project, please contact me.

Thank you so much Evelyn for your very generous donation towards the literacy tutor and your commitment to future assistance. We look forward to working with you in the future in an effort to improve the conditions and learning environment of the Sandy Bank Primary School.

The short-term funding goal has been reached!

We would like to thank all who contributed to funding a literacy tutor for the Sandy Bank School. We were especially pleased to see some former students of Sandy Bank Primary School supporting this program. The funds raised were $820 US and with our matching funds of $500 US it brings the total to $1,320 US raised. This amount will fund a literacy tutor from February, 2012 thru October, 2012 with July and August being holidays. Ms. Nembhard has been training her replacement, Ms. Jackson, since the beginning of February. I had the pleasure of meeting with both of them yesterday and I was very happy to see so much progress being made since the implementation of the program.

However, like all programs, this continues to evolve and we have a long way to go. To that end, Ms. Nembhard has provided us with the following list of items requested which would help the program continue to improve. Please check out the list and if you can bring any of these items with you when you come to visit just call me, Rebecca, at 789-1239 when you are here and I will come to get them. If you would like to send items to us, please email Rebecca for further instructions.

1. Remedial class:
Head phones for computers (12)
Laminating paper (several boxes)
Flash cards with lower case letters (6 packs)
Magnetic lower case letter tiles (3 packs)

2. Grade 1:
Word bingo
Colour bingo
Puzzles (large pieces)
Dr Zeus beginner books

3. Grades 2-4:
Reading games
Math games
Clock faces
Fractional pieces

4. Grade 5:
Science teaching aides including:
bar magnets and filings (6)
bunsen burners & tubes (6)
Find a word books (24)
Children's scrabble (4)

5. Computer needs:
Powerful router to send wifi from staff room to special ed room
Laptops (8) (for access to the internet in the speciall ed room)
Black & coloured HP toners (as many as possible)

6. General use:
Markers & erasers for dry board
Masking tape (12)
Clear cellotape (12)

Again, on behalf of the Sandy Bank Primary School, TB.Net, and the students who will be the recipients of the tutoring we would sincerely like to thank all who have donated to this worthy literacy program.

The School Board, principal, staff, students and parents of Sandy Bank Primary School wish to express sincere gratitude to Treasure Beach.net and all who have donated to this worthy cause.Special thanks also to Mrs. Nembhard, who has been instrumental in initiating this very important programme.