School for Children with Special Needs, Georgetown scores five out of six

The principal of the School for Children with Special Needs Georgetown, Kathleen Butler is encouraging parents not to limit their children, because no matter the challenge, they can succeed.

Six students: Krisroy Miller, Cieanna Francois, Olando Thomas, Noricka Sharpe, Leetanya Davis and Shiyana Nanton from the institution were registered to sit the CPEA examinations this year.

Butler told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that the entire staff was elated and proud of all the students, five of whom returned passes and the other who came very close, with 49.8 per cent.

The principal revealed that this is the third time that the school has registered students to sit the CPEA, and the first time that a student has placed in the top 500.

Miller, who is visually impaired placed 223 for boys and 496 overall.

The other students, one of whom is visually impaired, two who are hearing impaired, and another two who are intellectually challenged, placed within the 700 and 1440 positions.

“Even though the children have challenges, they can still succeed. So to the parents, I would say do not limit the children…” Butler said.

The educator, who has taught at the School for Children with Special Needs in Georgetown for almost 30 years, said the school prepared the students using the same curriculum taught in mainstream primary schools, but extra effort was made to adapt it by simplifying material, going slower and incorporating a lot of practice to ensure the students grasped the concepts.

Butler noted that the students are set to attend secondary school, and she believes that with the proper accommodation, they can succeed.

This essentially calls for teachers to cater to each child’s needs by using a variety of strategies such as teachers incorporating a slower pace of learning for students who are intellectually challenged, more visual learning elements for students who are hearing impaired, and more audio related elements for visually impaired students.

“It’s critical that parents do their part, teachers do their part, the child does his/her part and there’s a guarantee the child will succeed once everyone is on board. Do not limit the children. Allow them to soar, allow them to explore their capabilities and they will succeed,” she said.