Once on the brink of closure after the pandemic, St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Primary School has been transformed into a thriving centre of academic, spiritual and community life under Principal Dr Marvalene Roach, who credits the revival to faith, discipline and shared purpose.
Principal of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Primary School Dr Marvalene Roach (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)
Originally planning a three-month position as executive chair, Roach has now led the school for three and a half years, increasing enrolment from 67 to 132 pupils in a facility built to hold 160. A former student who attended from the age of four to 15, when the school included a secondary department, she returned from the United Kingdom determined that “no, we’re not closing”.
Celebrating its 92nd year of continuous education on February 2, the Bay Street school — once home to 900 students — now aims to expand despite financial challenges as a private institution. Founded originally for island immigrants, its modest fees require constant fundraising.
Each Monday, the school holds assemblies in the adjacent church, where Roach instils a mantra echoed from President Jeffrey Bostic’s words: “There are no limits to what you can achieve. The only limit is you.”
She urges pupils and parents, especially ahead of the 11-plus exam on May 5, to prioritise personal best over competition: “Not everybody’s going to be a doctor or lawyer. Your child needs to be the best he or she can be.”
Class Four pupils forgo their Easter break for intensive revision with their familiar Class Three teacher, who knows their weaknesses, ensuring focused preparation in an otherwise empty building. Academically, St Patrick’s boasts a hidden legacy of success, sending graduates to leading secondary schools such as Harrison College, where Roach recently spotted many alumni.
Differentiating the school, Roach enforces grammatical English upon entering the gates. “We all speak Bajan, but no exam is written in Bajan,” she says. She has also reintroduced English literature with classics such as Moby-Dick, Harry Potter and Black Beauty, brought back from trips to the UK. Every child receives a copy for shared reading and discussion, bridging the cultural gaps Roach herself encountered abroad at 15. “Barbados is not the end of the world; you have to be prepared to go,” she tells students.
Balancing technology with books, a programme called LearnIt, sponsored by the Cave Shepherd Community Fund, equips Classes One and Two with offline curriculum-loaded tablets. By 2028, all pupils will have them.
With the help of donations, 29 new laptops have been received, allowing the computer room to be revived. After-school clubs in art, chess (including weekend online championships) and Kiwanis Kids foster public speaking and self-sufficiency, countering Bajans’ “singing” speech tendency.
Community involvement defines St Patrick’s uniqueness. Movie nights, an Easter Bonnet Parade and pink Fridays in October raise funds, while “Rock Your Socks” promotes awareness.
At Christmas, the school choir sings carols at West Coast hotels such as the Sandpiper and Cobblers Cove, as well as at Hayman’s Market, to support its fundraising. Kiwanis Kids plant trees in the Botanical Gardens and sing at nursing homes, teaching pupils the responsibilities that come with privilege.
Discipline at St Patrick’s rejects corporal punishment: teachers sign no-hitting agreements, and privileges are withdrawn or one-day suspensions issued for repeat offenders, even those as young as three. Parents — who have Roach’s mobile number — support this approach, appreciating that it avoids work disruptions.
A learning resource centre tackles post-COVID reading deficits through timetabled one-on-one or small-group phonics and maths support. Roach’s current fundraising goal is for an Oxford Reading Tree.
Roach knows every one of the 132 pupils and their parents, maintaining an open-door policy for hugs, reflecting her hands-on leadership honed during years in education abroad.
An Old Scholars Association, including peers from her own generation, continues to support the school. Addressing external safety concerns, Roach reassures parents: “I have no control out the gate, but here you are safe.” She discusses societal issues during assembly from a faith-based perspective: “Everything is led by God.”
(LE)
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