This is my first message to The KC Times since my appointment as Chairman of the Board of Kingston College and I take this opportunity to congratulate the Editor Glen Laman and his team for their obvious dedication and the wonderful job they have been doing in keeping the Kingston College community informed. Great work!

I also express sincere appreciation to the many members of the Kingston College community – individuals and organizations - who have contributed and continue to contribute invaluable time, talent and money to our beloved alma mater. These generous contributions have made a significant impact on the students, the teachers and the school. This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when persons and organizations of goodwill work toward a common objective.

Kingston College is on a mission – to be the high school of choice for boys. In the many and varying ways that we make our contributions, this must be our ultimate objective. It is an objective which is consistent with the vision of our first headmaster, Bishop Gibson, to ensure that the boys, from any strata of the society, who enter the school leave as young men with a well rounded education equipped to be useful and upright citizens. I firmly believe that we can achieve this objective but in order to do so, we must commit to working together in partnership. Each of us in the Kingston College family has a role to play. We must resolve to do so with enthusiasm and in a manner that is in the best interest of our students and our school.

In an address to members of the academic staff at the beginning of the school year, I expressed the view that teachers, administrative and ancillary staff, parents, Old Boys and the Board are all members of a partnership working in the interest of Kingston College and its students. I indicated that the Board, as a partner, accepts that its primary and overarching responsibility is to ensure that there is within the school an environment which fosters effective teaching and learning - an environment which will encourage our students to participate successfully in curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The Board is committed to achieving this objective. In this regard, earlier this year, the Board reviewed and approved the first phase of a School Development Plan which was prepared under the guidance of our Headmaster, Dave Myrie. This first phase is designed to improve and enhance each student’s academic and non-academic performance through continuous evaluations and programmes to equip and encourage each of them to achieve his highest potential. Implementation has begun and we anticipate positive results within the three years horizon of the Plan and beyond.

In addition, in order to ensure greater structure and accountability within the school a Students Handbook and a Teachers Handbook have been developed. The Teachers Handbook is currently operative. The Students Handbook will be introduced at the beginning of the next school year. These two handbooks outline in detail the rules, regulations and expectations held by the school for each group. They also seek to create greater transparency and consistency in the School’s approach to dealing with disciplinary issues. It is expected that compliance with these rules and regulations and their consistent application will result in improvements in discipline and academic performance.

I commend the Headmaster and his team for their work on the Plan and the Handbooks.

The second phase of the School Development Plan will involve plans for work on the infrastructure and plant on each campus. With over 1900 students enrolled in Kingston College there is a need for additional classrooms and laboratories to appropriately cater for our students and teachers. There is also a need for general upgrade of both plants. Although some of these needs are immediate and work has begun in some areas, it is imperative that we avoid a piecemeal approach in addressing these issues. The Board is therefore committed to developing a comprehensive infrastructural development plan for Kingston College that will guide our efforts over the next ten to fifteen years. This plan must provide for a technology driven school and ensure that all facilities that we erect are consistent with the school’s vision, mission and aims and must support the promotion of an effective teaching and learning environment.

The Property & Infrastructure Sub-Committee of the Board will be meeting with a number of stakeholders to assist with the development of this Plan and we hope to have that exercise completed very soon. Implementation of such a Plan obviously will require significant funding and we will also be preparing a fundraising plan. We will be seeking the support of the entire Kingston College community and other well-wishers.

Kingston College has now achieved 88 years of existence and as we observe that milestone and reflect on the past, we must also look to the future, a future with many possibilities and opportunities for us to build on the solid foundation which exists. There is much to be done but we have an unyielding spirit, the Fortis spirit, from which each of us should gain motivation to do our part in the mission. If you are not yet involved, I invite you to do so. We will shortly be outlining the ways in which you can.

Fortis Cadere Cedere Non Potest

Michael Vaccianna
Chairman, Board of Management
June 2013

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