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The Education & Employment Directorate are pleased to announce the success of seven staff members within the Directorate. Teaching Assistants Tina Brady, Sharon Peters, Candice Thomas, and Hannah Herne, Anne Clarke and Lacosta McDaniel from the Inclusion Service, and PSHCE Coordinator for Prince Andrew School, Laufia McDaniel, have recently completed the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) course.

The 14-week course, run by Educational Psychologist, Dr Claire Cox, is a UK national programme of staff training delivered by Educational Psychologists to support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

The ELSA project intends to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. It is based on the view that all children are different and they should be nurtured according to their needs. There will always be children and young people facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with school. The ELSA project recognises that children learn better when their emotional needs are also addressed.

Dr Cox said:

“All around the world we are coming to realise that wellbeing, happiness, and the ability to cope with life’s highs and lows, are absolutely essential for positive life outcomes. This is reflected in the UK’s recent green paper ‘transforming children and young people’s mental health provision’ which has highlighted the important role of schools in supporting children to develop and grow into healthy, successful young people. The launch of ELSA training here on St Helena demonstrates a progressive move from the schools towards providing good quality, targeted, early help, to children facing common issues which affect their everyday wellbeing. These issues, if left unsupported, can develop into more serious problems throughout life. If supported early on, however, these difficulties can be an opportunity for our children and young people to grow and learn how to cope in the face of difficult situations in life. All of the ELSA’s have committed fully to this course, they have challenged themselves personally and professionally, and I believe they will make a great difference in the lives of children and young people here on St Helena.”

ELSA’s are trained to plan and deliver programmes of support for pupils in their school or setting. The course covered a range of topics, from Emotional Literacy to Self-Esteem, to Setting up Effective Interventions, all the way through to Supporting Children who experience Trauma, Loss & Bereavement. A session was also delivered by Therapeutic Art Practitioner, Tamara Coleman-Thomas on Therapeutic Interventions.

Inclusion Manager, Lolly Young, said:

“According to the Children’s Society (2008), one in ten children aged 5-16 years have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.

“It is encouraging that the Education Directorate has taken the step towards supporting our children’s mental health needs alongside those of their academic learning. Dr Cox is thanked for her positive work with our staff and for her gift of learning that should inspire in our children, strong, healthy, young minds, allowing them to meet their true potential in life.”

ELSA support will be available soon across the three Primary schools as well as at Prince Andrew School. The Inclusion Service will be working with schools to ensure that children and their parents understand the roles of these staff members and how the service can be accessed.

#StHelena #Education #ELSA #InclusionService #SaintSuccess

SHG
14 December 2018

The Education & Employment Directorate is proud to share the following professional achievements of staff within the directorate.

National Professional Qualification for Headship

Head Teacher of Prince Andrew School (PAS), Penelope Bowers, has been awarded the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). Penny embarked on her studies in 2016 and completed her work placement in October 2018.

Penny said:

“I am very proud to have achieved this award. It has not been easy to study alongside a full-time job, but I have found it tremendously rewarding. The NPQH is a reflective process, so the modules I selected were chosen in line with priorities at work. This has given me a good insight and lots to think about in terms of moving PAS forward.

“In addition, I have made lots of links with colleagues in schools overseas. Some are now very good friends of mine, so I can call upon them as well.

“I would like to thank the Education Directorate and SHG for affording me this opportunity, and to thank both my family and colleagues at PAS for their support as well in answering questionnaires, surveys etc. I would, in particular, like to thank Lilla Oliver and my colleagues at Mary Webb School & Science College in the UK for their support and to my sponsor, Wendy Benjamin, for the endless filling in of forms.”

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching and Learning

In November, Teacher Trainee in PAS, Andrew Yon, and Reception Teacher in Harford Primary School, Mrs Tania Maggott, successfully passed the Cambridge Certificate in Teaching and Learning.

This professional course is delivered on-Island by the Teacher Training Advisor. Andrew and Tania join other members of staff – Deputy Head of PAS, Barbara Osborne, and Teacher in PAS, Laufia McDaniel – whoo also achieved this Certificate in August.

Supporting Teaching and Learning

Teacher Trainees, Robyn Yon-Bowers and Christy Bedwell, have completed and passed the Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

These achievements show Education & Employment’s ongoing commitment to strive to provide the best possible learning experience to the children of St Helena.

Acting Director of Education, Wendy Benjamin, said:

“I am really proud of these achievements and extend my congratulations to all. Studying whilst also working a full teaching timetable is no easy task and staff are thanked for their dedication and commitment to their studies. These achievements will support our drive in raising standards in education on St Helena.”

#StHelena #Education #Achievements #SaintSuccess

SHG
13 December 2018

The Post & Customer Services Centre (P&CSC) plan to use images of local properties, decorated with Christmas lights for the festive season, in their Christmas 2019 stamp issue.

The P&CSC would like to appeal to the public to submit digital images of their decorated properties for consideration. The best images will be used for the Christmas 2019 stamp issue.

Images must be in a digital format and should be submitted by the end of February 2019.

Submissions can be sent to the Assistant Customer Services Manager, Alan Bennett, via e-mail: alan.bennett@sainthelena.gov.sh, or can be dropped off at the P&CSC in Jamestown. Please submit names and addresses with images.

SHG
12 December 2018

HM Customs & Revenue would like to advise customers of the following opening times during the festive period.

Wednesday, 12 December	08:30 – 17:00
Thursday, 13 December	08:30 – 17:00
Friday, 14 December	08:30 – 17:00
Monday, 17 December	08:30 – 16:00
Tuesday, 18 December	08:30 – 18:30
Wednesday, 19 December	08:30 – 16:00
Thursday, 20 December	08:30 – 18:30
Friday, 21 December	08:30 – 18:30

Customs will be closed from Monday, 24 December, through to Tuesday, 1 January 2019. Normal business will resume on Wednesday, 2 January. During the closed period an officer will be on call.

HM Customs would like to thank the public for their continuous support and would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

SHG
12 December 2018

Executive Council met today with two items on the open agenda.

For the first item, members were asked to endorse a report from the Liberated African Advisory Committee outlining options and recommendations for the reburial of the Excavated Liberated African Remains. The Advisory Committee was established by Executive Council in October 2017, with the primary objective to explore options to provide a peaceful and final resting place for the disturbed Liberated African Remains which are currently being housed in the former Pipe Store. The main recommendations in the report are that the reinterment should take place within Rupert’s Valley, that a memorial should be created at the site and that an interpretation centre should be developed in Rupert’s. Other recommendations are that in the interim period prior to reburial, the remains will continue to be housed in the Pipe Store and that every effort should be made to encourage people to engage with the display of the materials returned from the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool. Members were happy to endorse the report and the recommendations and took the opportunity to thank the Advisory Committee for their excellent work. The Committee will now go on to explore funding options to take the recommendations forward.

Members were then asked to advise whether the Medical, Dentistry and Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill should be printed, published and presented as Government Business at the next formal meeting of the Legislative Council. It was noted that the Public Health Committee had reviewed the current provision and as a result recommended that amendments were necessary as follows:

Practitioner qualifications are reviewed internally within the Health Directorate by the Director of Health or Delegated Officers before recommendation to the Governor;

Evidence of Good Standing from a previous Registration Authority is obtained before practitioners are recommended for registration by the Governor; and

That the fines and sanctions for non-registration as a practitioner before undertaking such role on the island are reviewed upwards.

The Bill will amend the Medical Practitioners Ordinance 1910, the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance 1937 and the Dentists Ordinance 1955.

Members debated the draft Bill and raised concerns in relation to the level of qualifications, the internal processes and the on-island practice and control. Members were reassured that these concerns will be addressed in the supporting policies which would sit behind the Bill. On that basis Members were content to approve the Bill as Government Business for the next formal meeting of Legislative Council.

ExCo

11 December 2018

The following is a public announcement from Waste Management Services:

Waste Management Services (WMS) will continue their operations over the festive period as follows:

Domestic & Commercial Waste Collection:

All domestic and commercial waste collection services throughout December and January will remain mostly unchanged except for the following:

There will be no domestic or commercial waste collection on Tuesday, 25 December 2018 (Christmas Day) and on Tuesday, 1 January 2019 (New Year’s Day).

Customers who ordinarily have their waste collected on a Tuesday will instead have it collected on the preceding day – Monday, 24December 2018 (Christmas Eve) and Monday, 31December 2018 (New Year’s Eve), respectively.

Customers are asked to ensure their bins are ready for emptying by 6am. Late placement of bins may result in bins not being emptied.

Safe and Efficient Waste Storage and Collection:

All cardboard boxes must be flattened prior to waste collection, with large volumes of cardboard tied in bundles for safe handling. WMS will not collect cardboard boxes that have not been suitably prepared. All other waste must be bagged and not placed loose into bins. Where possible, please sanitise your wheelie bins regularly to prevent the formation of maggots. WMS is not responsible for sanitising commercial or individual domestic wheelie bins.

Horse Point Landfill Site:

The site will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The public is encouraged to recycle as much of their waste prior to any disposal into the bulky waste cell. The Public Recycling Facility can receive plastics, glass, cans, scrap metal, wood, cooking & motor oil, tyres, cardboard, vehicle & domestic batteries, white goods, small electrical appliances, furniture, textiles and clothing.

The public is advised not to use the Landfill Site during the hours of darkness due to the obvious hazards that exist.

Bulky Waste:

The public is reminded that the free bulky waste collection service previously offered by WMS has been cancelled. Members of the public are advised to make private arrangements for the collection and disposal of any bulky waste.

Public Area Sanitation:

All public area sanitation services throughout December and January will remain unchanged. Please dispose of your litter in the bins provided for the protection of the environment.

Wheelie Bins:

WMS will have a limited stock of 240Litre black wheelie bins available for households and businesses for their waste management from February 2019. Residents and businesses requiring wheelie bins are asked to contact the Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, on tel: 24724 or via email: mike-durnford@enrd.gov.sh

Waste Management Enquiries:

With effect from Friday, 7 December 2018, through to Tuesday, 2 January 2019, all Waste Management Services’ enquiries should be directed to the Landfill Manager, Patrick Crowie, on tel: 23655 or via email: landfill.manager@helanta.co.sh.This includes the following enquiries:

Domestic & commercial waste collection
Hazardous waste disposal
Incineration Service
Secure Data Disposal Service
Any waste management issues

Waste Management Services are committed to ‘working with customers for a cleaner and greener St Helena’.

SHG
11 December 2018

The following is a public announcement from the Roads Section:

The Highways Authority has given approval for the road to be closed from Seales Corner to the Guide Hall, between 9am and 3pm, on Monday, 17 and Tuesday, 18 December 2018. This closure is to enable the Roads Section to carry out line painting works.

For the duration of the works, all residents and workers in the Seales Corner area, including the Carnarvon Court Complex, Connect Saint Helena Ltd, Harris’ Flats, Matron’s Quarters, Parish Block, and the Guide Hall, are asked to vacate these car parks by 8.30am to allow works to commence. For the closure, residents and workers may use Pilling Primary School playground to park their vehicles.

The Roads Section would like to thank the public in advance for their continued understanding and cooperation.

SHG
10 December 2018

The Education and Employment Directorate is pleased to announce that Lisa Joshua has graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Hons) degree in Primary Education.

Lisa, daughter of Lionel and Veronica Joshua, started her teaching career in St Helena as an Initial Teacher Trainee in 2014. She departed the Island to pursue her studies in August 2015. Lisa studied a B.Ed in Primary Education (5-11), with a Music specialism, at the University of Winchester for three years.

Elements of her studies included looking at the development and leadership of Music within primary schools and undertaking work placements in various primary and junior schools in Hampshire, UK.

Lisa undertook three core placements during her degree programme, teaching 80% of a class timetable. In addition, Lisa undertook various volunteer and course placements throughout university. She was privileged to be able to visit schools in Denmark and Latvia and presented a research project – Outdoor learning in Early Years – at The International Conference in Riga, Latvia.

Lisa successfully completed her studies in July 2018 and graduated on 18 October 2018. Lisa is now working through her Induction Year as a newly qualified Teacher and is currently teaching a Year Three class in a school in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Lisa commented:

“The past three years have definitely been a challenge, particularly being away from home and family. However, it has only made me grow as a person and as a teacher. I have learnt so much throughout the course which I will be able to bring to St Helena and which I am already using with my current class. I am loving having my own class so far, especially leading up to Christmas.

“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who made this possible and to those who helped make this experience a memorable and positive one.”

#StHelena #Education #Graduation #SaintSuccess

SHG
10 December 2018

WEEK SEVEN

This was the final week of the St Helena Police Initial Police Training seven-week course.

The students took their final examinations and were tested against the entire course content in a final summative exercise. This consisted of having to deal with six practical scenarios. These included dealing with a violent domestic incident, a suspected drunk driver, a disturbance in the street, a vulnerable person, a male with an offensive weapon, and a suspect in custody.

This was a challenging practical examination, but the students dealt with each incident in a measured and professional manner. As a result, they all passed this final test.

During the week, they also received additional law training, including how to deal with a breach of the peace. The Health Directorate also delivered First Aid Training to the officers.

This now completes their Initial Police Training. The successful officers will now be out on patrol, in company with other Police Officers. They will return for further post foundation training over the next twelve months to build on their initial training.

Tutor, Sgt Mike Miskell, said:

“They will now need the support of the community to help them keep people safe and make St Helena an even better place to live and work. I wish all of them well for the future.”

Tutor, Learning & Development Sergeant, Mark Coombe, said:

“The students have now successfully completed their initial training and I would like to thank the public for the support that has been shown during the past seven weeks. It has been a pleasure to assist in the development of these new officers and I wish them every success for the future.”

Their course culminated in a Police Passing-Out Parade at Plantation house on Thursday, 6 December, in front of the Governor, Senior Officers, family and friends.

#StHelena #StHelenaPolice #InitialPoliceTraining #WeekSeven #SuccessfulCompletion