Thanks to the generous support of Rotary Central and Maples and Calder, Red Bay Primary School (RBPS) has raised enough funds to expand its literacy support programming this calendar year. The funds raised will go to the purchase of an Year One Orange Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI) kit, which is scheduled to arrive early next calendar year.

Currently, RBPS is utilising the LLI program to support struggling readers in Year Two. The partnership between Rotary Central, Maples and Calder, and RBPS will allow staff to expand the programme into Year One. The Ministry of Education has a vision of transforming the lives of students through effective, progressive, and measurable forms of literacy instruction across the Cayman Islands and welcomes and thanks community supports like Rotary Central and Maples and Calder for sharing in that vision.

Ms. Katherine Briggs of Harbour House Marina has once again shown her support for RBPS by generously shipping the Orange LLI kit to RBPS free of charge. This is the third kit Ms. Briggs has brought to Grand Cayman for RBPS.

Levelled Literacy Intervention has been selected as an effective programme for schools because it is a supplementary small group intervention programme that encapsulates three keys to successful literacy instruction: (1) expert teaching, (2) quality levelled books, and (3) good instructional design. The programme will be run during school hours with the support of the teaching assistants and teaching staff at RBPS. The LLI programme will serve as one aspect of a well-coordinated literacy effort, which has now been made stronger by the support of Rotary Central and Maples and Calder.

Minister Rivers expressed her gratitude by saying, “Rotary Central and Maples and Calder have a history of contributing to initiatives aimed at raising literacy levels throughout the country. On behalf of the Ministry of Education, the Department of Education Services, and RBPS, I would like to thank Rotary Central, Maples and Calder, and Katherine Briggs for partnering with the Cayman Islands Government in our mission to support the literacy needs of all young Caymanian students and by helping to provide the best educational system possible.”

Photo and Caption:

Ms. Desiree Charles (4th from left) presents a donation cheque to Minister for Education Hon. Tara Rivers (4rd from left) to support the Levelled Literacy Intervention Programme at RBPS. Accompanying them are (left to right) RBPS Teachers Mr. Delton Pedley and Ms. Tamara Dixon, RBPS Principal Mrs. Vickie Frederick and Ministry of Education Literacy Specialist Mr. Brad Wilson.