Times of the Islands Summer 2016

In the TCI, students attend primary school—either
government or private—up to grade 6. At that time, most
students sit for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), a
3 1/2 hour ordeal that thoroughly tests their knowledge
of math, English and science. The results determine a
youngster’s placement into high school as well as the
granting of academic scholarships. Students also can sit
for a separate entrance exam to determine their eligibility
for very limited places at the country’s premier private
secondary school, the British West Indies Collegiate, or
the TCI Middle School.
The majority of students in public schools go
straight on to the one of the government high schools.
In Providenciales, this is the large Clement Howell High
School in Blue Hills or the newly opened Long Bay High
School in Long Bay. Both encompass students from
grades 7 to 11, although for 2017, the Long Bay school
will open a separate building for middle school students.
My first thought was, “Whew! That’s a lot of pressure
to put on kids that are only 11 or 12 years old. The
competition must be fierce among schools and students.
What if a child had a bad day? And success-driven parents
on top of that? Can kids get ulcers? What an unusual system!”
As I visited a sample of private schools in
Providenciales and talked to their principals, I was a bit
relieved to see that there are more options available than
I thought. With the population of resident expatriates
increasing again as the economy improves, the number of
options available to middle schoolers has also expanded
Precious Treasures International School was founded
as a day care and preschool 28 years ago by Directors
Allan and Yvonne Hutchinson, who initially served as
founding principal. Centrally located on Cooper Jack Bay
Road, Precious Treasures is today celebrated for consistently
providing premium early childhood and primary
level education to an international family of some 160
children from ages 2 to 12 years. In the Fall 2016, the
school will expand to offer secondary level education
starting with its inaugural Grade 7 class.
With the mission to provide a world-class international
education that prepares students to be global citizens and
life-long learners in the 21st century, Precious Treasures
uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in foundation
years and will extend this focus on internationalism
and critical thinking with the use of the International
Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) for the middle school
department. The school is the only provider of this experience
within TCI and continues to ensure that teaching
Middle schoolers at Precious Treasures International School will enjoy
a specialist science laboratory.
practices focus on research, exploration, investigation,
creativity, communication, and problem-solving. Learning
at Precious Treasures is based on a student-centered
and learning-focused educational philosophy that places
students and their learning at the center of all school
activities.
I met recently with the Hutchinsons, new Administrator
Anniona Jones and Special Projects Manager David
O’Connell, who are clearly dedicated and enthusiastic
about excellence and the holistic growth of their students.
In discussing their reasons for opening a middle
school, Principal Jones explains, “At Precious Treasures,
we see our student body as a home with strong Christian
principles having a desire to multiply our God-given talents.
Giving our students the new option of grades 7
and 8 provides them a chance to transition smoothly
into secondary level education while being socially reinforced
by the family-like environment that they’re used
to. We engineer a social environment and an academic
program that builds students’ psychological confidence
and academic competencies, guided by strong senses of
morality and social responsibility. We want our students
to grow as global citizens, considering the impact of their
actions on other people, the environment, and the world
as a whole.” She adds, “We encourage every child to take
responsibility for their learning by monitoring their own
progress. We also empower parents with the information
DAVID O’CONNELL
40 www.timespub.tc