Old Harbour Primary student triumphs after double tragedy

JOURDYNE ANDERSON’S teacher, Natalie Mitchell Warren, recalls that when she saw her student’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) scores, which were in the high 90 per cent, she “jumped and screamed for joy”.

Mitchell Warren said that she was very proud of Jourdyne who had to overcome a double tragedy during her PEP journey.

Her grandmother passed away when she was in grade four and her mother succumbed to cancer eight months later.

The Old Harbour Primary School teacher said that as the student grieved the loss of her loved ones, she was there to work with, and encourage her.

“She was someone who worked hard, she was focused and took her work seriously,” the teacher shared.

“With that attitude and continued motivation, I have seen where she pulled it off, and is very successful today,” Mitchell Warren said.

Jourdyne, who emerged the top PEP girl for her school, is now in grade seven at Old Harbour High School.

She was placed at her first-choice school, Glenmuir High in Clarendon, but her family decided it was best to have her attend school closer to home.

Jourdyne’s grandfather, Anthony Brown, said that he is proud that she was able to overcome the deaths of her mother and grandmother to ace her exams.

He shared that she studied hard, making good use of online resources, and never had to be reminded that schoolwork was due.

“She makes me proud,” he said, noting that he shed tears at the news that she was the top student for her school.

While noting that the family still grieves for their loved ones, he added, “that is one chapter, and another chapter is here now, and we are working on it”.

Principal of Old Harbour Primary, George Goode, who acknowledged that Jourdyne was “exceptional” in PEP, said that he supports the decision for her to attend Old Harbour High School.

“It is a credit that we can send one of our best-performing students to this institution of high excellence,” Goode shared, noting that parents with children who achieve 96 per cent and over in their exams do not have to consider sending them to traditional schools several miles outside of the community.

Meanwhile, top boy, Daniel McLaren, who is now at Kingston College, is described by Goode as a “gentle giant” who is committed to his schoolwork.

“He inspires us and the rest of his classmates,” he said.

Daniel’s mother, Althea Smith, said his academic achievement has brought joy to the family. She credits the school for his success.

“He came to this school from grade one and the teachers always help him and work with him,” she shared.

Principal Goode reports that 64 per cent of his students were placed at their school of choice based on their PEP results.

He added that during COVID-19, “we had good parental support in the home-school partnership, and we attribute the success to not only what happened at the school, but in the homes, where parents are involved in the lives of their children”.

Goode shared that the institution exposes its students to “very important concepts” from grade one to grade six, when the PEP exams are administered.

There is a dedicated teacher for Performance Task skills preparation and development, the Old Harbour Primary School principal said.