Principal happy with Thomas Saunders’ results

Principal of the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, John Renton, says he and his staff are pleased with students’ performance at their first attempt at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) CSEC examinations.{{more}}

The 99 students from the five-year-old school who wrote the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSEC) examination had an overall 72.43 per cent pass rate for the 18 subjects they wrote.

“I think that the students and the staff made a respectable first outing at the CSEC exams,” said Renton, who has been principal for two years.

The top students at the institutions were Tamaria Stephens and Nicolas Lynch, who each passed eight subjects.

Fourteen students passed seven subjects while 65 per cent of the candidates received passes in more than five subjects, Renton told SEARCHLIGHT.

All the students who took Physical Education and Music passed.

There were 90 per cent passes in English B, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Principles of Business and Information Technology.

Between 70 and 89 percent of the students passed Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Office Administration and English A.

Some 27 students, including Stephens got Grade I’s for English A, but Renton said there was work to be done to improve students’ performance in Mathematics and Spanish.

Stephens told SEARCHLIGHT she was “surprised, elated, happy” that she did her mother and teachers proud.

She was surprised that she returned Grade I’s for both English B and English A, saying that English “was never my area of expertise”.

Stephen, 16, of Brighton, plans to enroll for Biology, Mathematics, and Chemistry at the Community College.

Fellow top student, Lynch, an aspiring businessman, wants to do Business Studies, Environmental Studies and Psychology, also at the Community College.

Lynch, 16, of Old Montrose, said he was happy but not surprised by the results, adding that he was proud of himself.

Only 99 of the 161 students who enrolled at the school five years ago graduated this past June.

Renton said “quite a lot of students” had migrated to North America, while “a few” were expelled because of behavioural problems.

A small number girls had got pregnant but will be allowed to complete their education, in keeping with state policy.

“Societal problems impact on what happens inside schools,” said Renton, who added that the school had counselling and other support services which students access “pretty largely”. (KXC)