Santa Elena Primary R.C. School

I am still in a state of euphoria when I reflect on the historic 2012 Cross Country Cycling Race. What a memorable occasion, a son of the soil, an energetic young man from Santa Elena dazzled many locals and foreigners with his impressive ride to the garland. The teachers at Santa Elena Primary School were elated to share his story with their students and let them know that they too can be anything they want to be as long as they are wiling to work toward their dream. The children watched fervently as our guest, Mr. Geovanni Choto strolled on our compound accompanied by his lovely wife and daughter. A smile of innocence beckoned on his face as he was taken aback by the gratitude and love displayed toward him by the students of this school. Mr. Choto and other gold winners as Olympic Winners developed what we called the, “Olympic Mentality” where the best keep getting better through practice, practice, and more practice. M.O.R.E. (Multiple Options for Results in Education) contains seven major components with over 100 subcomponents, encompassing hundreds of skills, which guides the direction of professional development to create an environment that acknowledges the impact of brain-based instruction. This philosophy was developed Dr. Joyce Swarzman and her staff of Independent Day School-Corbett Campus in Tampa, FL, a National Blue Ribbon Award winning school. One subcomponent of the M.O.R.E. Approach is the Olympic Mentality, where teachers are involved in weekly professional development sessions so as to be on the cutting edge of education. Like Olympians, teachers understand that when there is a passion for something, practice and study become fulfilling and a natural part of what we choose to do. The teachers at Santa Elena Primary School have been involved in a Teacher Leadership program since June of 2010 and have adopted the M.O.R.E. Approach at their school. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Joyce Burick Swarzrman, creator of the M.O.R.E. Approach, will be visiting Belize to conduct a two day workshop on May 4 and 5, 2012 at Belize Elementary School Gym in Belize City. She will share with educators her secret of running a successful school where both teachers and students are in a happy environment, where individuals learn from their mistakes and teachers are willing to “Sharpen their Saw” so as to ensure that every child gets a teacher of the year. IDS-CC continues to emerge as a beacon for other schools throughout the world because of the leadership of the school's headmaster and other school leaders, and the continuous training and high levels of caring and proficiency of the teachers. More information about Dr. Joyce’s visit to Belize can be obtained by emailing Dr. Jennifer Morrow at drjenn02@gmail.com and Mrs. Abigail Wade abbyjwade@gmail.com