On Thursday (11 May), the Red Bay Primary School held the official opening of its new Literacy Café and Reception area.

  “Our goal is to create a space that will positively impact students learning, health and well-being, align with our school improvement plan and meets the Office of Education Standards (OES) expectations,” Acting Principal Mr. Ryan Dale said about the Literacy Cafe.

    Mr. Dale also noted that the Café would promote environmental awareness among children and foster a love for nature and reading.

    He continued, “We designed the new literacy space based on an OES Inspection report, which identified the need for reading to enhance higher-order thinking skills, outdoor learning to increase environmental awareness, and science lessons to be contextually relevant and promote inquiry.”

   Concerning the new outdoor reception area, the Acting Principal commented, “The new outdoor reception area will provide beyond slides and swings. We aim to create a friendly and safe space full of opportunities for exploration of nature, self-confidence, self-awareness, self-regulation, and relationships.”

   Mr. Dale also expressed gratitude to the MOE and other partners, such as LIFE, KPMG, and the PTA, for bringing the school’s vision to life.

  “Our students will benefit tremendously as they can use these spaces to read, have fun and explore,” he added. 

    The Ministry of Education (MOE) awarded the school approximately $80,000.00 in grants through its Project-based Grant Programme to facilitate the two projects.

    Mr. Adrian Jones, Acting Deputy Chief Officer in the Ministry of Education, was a member of the committee that reviewed project applications.

    He commented, “During the 2021/2022 academic year, Red Bay was one of four schools to receive funding for their project proposals. They focused on enhancing their reception area and made significant progress by the end of 2022. They requested additional funding to advance the project and commence work on the Literacy Cafe at the start of the 2022/2023 academic year. I commend the staff for pursuing these projects and continuously striving to improve literacy, a critical learning aspect for our students.”

      Other speakers at the event included Senior School Improvement Officer, Mr. Nicholas Obie, Senior Policy Advisor and Manager of the Ministry’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Unit, Dr. Pearlyn Henry-Burrell, RBPS Educator Ms. Keisha Tingle, PTA member, Ms. Keren Watson and Ms. Nicola Galvin, Volunteer & Programmes Coordinator for LIFE.

    To learn more or to view the MoE’s Project-based Grant Funding Policy, visit the Cayman Islands Government website at https://www.gov.ky/publication-detail/project-based-grant-for-government-schools.