A Blog from Wes

My new friend Wes, with TFABB, willingly wrote the follwing blog. Greg and I have LOVED every minute working together with Wes, Peggy and Anthony.

The principal workshop in Punta Gorda has been a successful blending of the efforts of two organizations. Members of Teachers for a Better Belize (Anthony Stevenson, Peggy Gill, and Wes Hickey) have been working with the principals for several years, and with the country-wide training of the Canadian International Rotary Club #5370, a natural alliance was born. The Canadian Rotary Club program developers welcomed TFABB principal trainers, and TFABB was excited about the opportunity to continue building upon the relationships that had been developed among the principals in Punta Gorda.

The week started with a review of CAPS (curriculum, assessment, pyramid of intervention and spirituality). Peggy followed up with a discussion of Balanced Literacy on Tuesday. Anthony addressed appraisal and classroom management issues on Wednesday, and Wes focused on strategic planning on Thursday. Lynne Paradis visited on Thursday and discussed the overall collaborative training project with the principals. Lynne is an excellent speaker who had the attention of all participants as she discussed the history and importance of the Canadian project.

The principals of Punta Gorda, as always, were appreciative of the opportunity to attend the training. Trainers were impressed by the knowledge and expertise of PG principals regarding leadership. They are very dedicated individuals who will sacrifice time and resources to provide a better education for the students in their charge. The efforts of the Canadian Rotary Club, TFABB, and the Belize Ministry of Education are designed to improve on the support of educational leaders in this region.