Lodge On Track For Chess Win

The Lodge School Under 13 team has taken a commanding lead in the United Insurance Inter-School Chess Championship. After four rounds of competition, The Lodge School has accumulated 36 points from a possible 40 to lead the standings. The Lodge team has been in dominant form throughout the competition. The only team who managed to score any points against them was the Harrison College team which went down 6-4.

The round three clash between Harrison College and The Lodge School was the toughest battle so far as the two teams both, boasting a number of National Junior Players, fought for supremacy to gain the lead in this decisive round.

Harrison College entered round three just two points behind Lodge and was hoping for a big win to capture the lead, but Lodge, the defending champions, played with great determination and skill to extend their lead as they registered wins on boards two, three and five. Jakeel Harewood, Christopher Grant and O’Shara Mason won for The Lodge School while Rohansonn Waithe and Raheem Layne scored for Harrison College on boards one and four.

The Lodge players went on to defeat Combermere convincingly and put themselves in the firm control of their title defence. Harrison College also pulled off a big win against Queen’s College but they are still six points behind the leaders. Combermere is in third place on 18 points, closely followed by Queen’s College on 16 points.

This year’s under 13 division has seen a number young female players who came out of the primary school chess programme performing outstandingly for their new secondary schools. Nalini Persaud of Queen’s College, Cherise Austin of Combermere , O’Shara Mason of the Lodge School and Asha Chadderton of Harrison College have all made their mark on this year’s United Insurance Inter-school Competition. Action continues on Saturday at The St Michael School 9 a.m.

Source: http://www.barbadostoday.bb/ 17/03/2010

Lodge Principal Speaks On Overcrowding Of Schools

Even a maximum of 900 students is too large for secondary schools to manage. Principal of the Lodge School Trevor Pilgrim made this assertion at the school’s speech day this morning.

“I recently read in the newspapers with the construction of two new schools, that the maximum student roll in any secondary school will not exceed 900, which will considered to be the maximum number that the school can manage with reasonable ease. Eight hundred and fifty would be even better. But once you are over 1000, there are specific problems that emerge,” he said in his address.

Pilgrim was referring to Government’s plan to set a limit in the island’s secondary schools. It is to be one aspect of the Medium Term Development Strategy 2010-2014 aimed at the infrastructural development of the educational system and was prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Innovation, Trade, Industry and Commerce.

The principal of the Society, St. John institution said the school was overcrowded with a current roll of 1 039 students and the plant was not able to cater this number. This overcrowding has resulted in “a palpable restlessness and a lack of focus among some students”, he added.

The situation has also led Pilgrim to defend the idea of having two deputy principals in each school: one to deal with administrative matters and one to deal with problem solving. In this way, he said, principals can get on with the work of improving the programmes at their schools.

“Principals are bogged down with student’s complaints, irate parents and what I call ‘adminis-trivia’. Principals talents can be put to better use.” Pilgrim also lamented the behaviour of some parents who make it difficult to enforce order within schools.

“One problem that I have is the rapidly growing number of parents and guardians who do not support school policy and school rules. This leads to display of defiance from their children and wards,” he said.

“They thoroughly defend their ward’s enfringement of the school rules and show open hostility to principals. They are uncooperative, angry when their children are punished... and are always ready to run to the Ministry of Education, their lawyer or the press and sometimes all three with their version of events.”

However, giving into those parents was not an option, as Pilgrim believed “the school should remain a fortress of social control or society will be plunged into chaos.” The Lodge School, which has won numerous local and regional awards, championships and competitions over the past year, also highlighted some of its talent during the proceedings, including its own miniature Michael Jackson Jed Clarke and its various musical groups. (LW)

Source: http://www.barbadostoday.bb/

The Final Showdown

This will be THE FINAL SHOWDOWN... the event to settle the score once and for all. Who will be the victorious one?

Come out and see for yourself Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The best of the best will compete in this once in a lifetime track meet.

Coordinated by veteran coach Mac Fingall, assisted by June Caddle, Michael Jules and Michael Steel.

The athletes will face off in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4X100 relays & 4X400 relays.

Live Music by Nikos Boxill - Admission $5.00.