WHAT IS VE? Motivational Day at PSVE Academy New SBO school

Issue#1February 2012
WHAT IS VE?
Page 3
Motivational Day
at PSVE Academy
Page 6
New SBO school
Page 5
Fun Day with YDP
Page 7
Welcome to the first issue of the
VE Monthly
Magazine!
W
The SBO Service Center
Walter J. Nisbeth Road 59,
Philipsburg
(Pondfill above Carl & Sons Bakery)
Sint Maarten
Office hours are from 8.00 am to
5.00 pm Monday - Friday
Tel: 543-0497 / 543-0498
Fax: 543-0479
Email:
vocationaledu@gmail.com
Website: www.sxmve.com
Contact persons per group are:
YDP
Janelle Presentacion
Shameda Delaney
Sharon Richards
ASVE/ SBO
Saskia Kliphuis
Iris Cloosterman
Shameda Delaney
PSVE/ VSBO
Zuleima Salmon
VSBO Project Assistant
Sharry Maynard
2
elcome to the first issue of the Vocational
Education (VE) monthly Magazine!!!
We are proud to announce the commencement
of the Information Campaign on Vocational Education
(VE) 2011/2012. The VE information campaign, funded by
USONA, is aimed towards informing businesses, parents,
students or anyone interested, about the vocational
education system currently in place on the island.
The VE monthly magazine supports this information
campaign and will be updating you on VE news, upcoming
VE events and activities, the construction progress of
the Advanced Secondary, Professional & technical
Vocational Education School, (being built behind Raoul
Illidge Sports Complex) as well as allow us to get your
opinions on related VE topics and/or issues.
We would like to truly encourage you to use us as a platform
to become aware of and discuss about the Vocational
Education system on the island.
If you have any remarks or questions pertaining to
Vocational Education on a whole or the VE magazine
itself then please get in contact with us by sending us
an email to vocationaledu@gmail.com.
You can also follow the campaign and get more
information about us on our VE website www.sxmve.
com or check us out on Facebook: “VocationalEducation
VE” or Twitter: “VocationalEdu”.
For now, please sit back & relax, and I hope you enjoy
our first monthly issue of the VE magazine!
Sincerely,
Sappho Spronk
Campaign Manager for the Vocational Education Information
Campaign 2011/2012
Have you thought of
becoming a
teacher... lately?
Introductory Message
F
or the young child, teenager and young adult, the
idea of work and career features prominently in
their dreams of the future. These dreams include
their study choices and in how they imagine their lives will
unfold for the future. Not only do they see their future in
terms of providing for the means of survival in terms of
food, clothing and shelter, BUT also in the type of work and
career that they would like to participate in.
Young children play games seeing themselves as pilots,
policemen, nurses, teachers etc. They are absorbed with
their future careers and can tell you from an early age what
they want to become what professions they would like to
be involved in. We need to listen to them and provide them
with the best education and training that will satisfy their
dreams and wishes!
Traditionally we have separated the world of “work” from
“education”. Traditionally we have viewed “education” as
having a purely academic and intellectual experience
and we have perceived “work” to be practical in nature,
and that the individual involved in work would use “their
hands more than their head”.
In this new age of Information Technology that we live
in we can no longer separate “work” from “education”
and training, for technology has made them irreversibly
intertwined.
Technological revolutions and innovations in science and
technology, during the 20th century, have created new
domains of knowledge and new disciplines so that both
education and training is now necessary for persons to be
able to work and compete in the workplace.
Our focus now is to prepare our youth with the knowledge
and skills that they need to function and produce for
themselves and for the society in which they live, thus
our focus on Technical and Vocational training (TVET
=Vocational Education) in St. Maarten at this time, in this
age comes at the right time so that our youth can have a
new chance to live a life of purpose and productivity in this
21st century.
We encourage you to make use of the information here on
this website, to post your questions to those who can give
you the right information and to guide you into a future that
if you are trained can only lead to a bright and prosperous
future!
Best wishes and a prosperous future!
Patricia Lourens
Division Head for Educational Innovations.
DERPI
3
What is Vocational
Education?
Vocational Education (VE) comprises of PSVE, YDP & SBO. All three groups form the basis of vocational education on
the island of Sint Maarten. Vocational Education nurtures your skills, so that you can become a working professional by
providing you with 50% classes (theoretical knowledge) and 50% job training (hands-on skills).
ASVE / SBO
Advanced Secondary Vocational
Education/ Secundair Beroeps
Onderwijs
PSVE / VSBO
Preperatory Secondary Vocational
Education/ Voorbereidend Secundair
Beroeps Onderwijs
PSVE is a four-year high school
training program, which prepares
students with preliminary knowledge
and hands on skills to join the
workforce. There are 2 years of basic
education followed by 2 years of
vocational training. Graduates from
primary school can choose to pursue
a study of choice at a PSVE school.
SBO involves commercial, technical
and professional vocational training
which prepares graduates of the
program to enter the job market, by
learning the knowledge and manual
skills needed to get the job done.
There are 4 different levels to choose
from, but based on your educational
background, you stream into a level
that best fits you. After completing a
level 4 course in SBO, graduates on
this level are qualified to go for their
bachelors’ degree if they choose so.
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YDP
Youth Development Program
YDP is a second chance educational
program that aims towards training
youngsters who were not able to
finish secondary school (high school).
The program focuses on educational
growth as well as personal
development, preparing youngsters
to enter the job market. YDP also
provides youngster who have fully
completed a course in the YDP
program the possibility of furthering
their studies by transitioning into an
ASVE/SBO level 1 or 2 course.
FUTURE PLANS:
AVE (Advanced Vocational
Education.
Being developed is a comprehensive
concept of V.E. that will include SBO
adult skills education, professional and
technical vocational education & skills
courses.
I
Renovations of PSVE/VSBO
classrooms & Language Assessments
n June 2011, the process of renovating
classrooms in three different PSVE
schools began. There will be a newly
renovated classroom for metal located
at MPC, a newly renovated classroom
for care and technical science at the
St. Maarten Academy PSVE and also
newly renovated ICT, arts & crafts and
technical science classrooms for The
St. Maarten Vocational Training School
(SMVTS). The renovations are being
made to ensure that all classrooms
meet the PSVE standards and that care
and technical science can be offered at
Academy PSVE.
Not only are the classrooms being renovated, but
language assessments are also being done. The
assessments are looking into the methods used
by teachers to teach languages and whether these
are suitable for the type of students they teach.
Ultimately, the goal of the assessments is to indicate
if the teaching methods are effective, if not which
teaching methods needs to be used,
if the teaching methods are effective
is there extra support needed to
increase effectively such as, training
or resource materials.
This project is to make sure that
the students receive education in
classrooms, meeting the requirements
with the learning environment and
materials necessary and from trained
teachers. The initiative comes as part
of Program Education and Youth Sint
Maarten and is financed by the Dutch
Development Funds via USONAv.
The program Manager is Drs. Angela
Dekker and the advisor from USONA
for technical projects, Mr. H.Dwarkasing.
The School Board SVOBE is responsible for the
financial part of the electrical works for MPC and the
preparation and supervision for the electrical and
plumbing for the 3 projects is CECC. These projects
are financed with Dutch Development Funds via
5
Motivational Day
at PSVE Academy
T
he St. Maarten Academy
PSVE is doing some exiting
things this year. They
have officially introduced their
Motivational Day and this very
first event was a great success
says Mrs. Barbara Cocks, student
care coordinator at the school.
The objective of this Motivational
day was twofold. 1: To motivate
the students and 2: To inspire
the students into making more
conscious decisions in the areas
of sexuality, drug use, violence
and overall decision making.
They organized a fun and
information filled day to get the
students informed and aware.
They had local speakers who
addressed the various topics such
as Zylena Barry, Attorney at Law
(violence); Pastor Adamus (drug
use); Dr. Illis and Mrs. Schaminee
(sexuality & STDs) and Mr. Sprott,
Police Officer (violence). Besides
the local speaker they had DJ
Outkast on the “ones and twos”
and Mr. Entertainment himself
Versatile who emceed the entire
6
event and also entertained with an
energetic musical performance at
the end of the event.
Throughout the course of the day
the school introduced their new
wristbands saying “YES to PSVE
No to SVD”, SVD being an acronym
for Sex, Violence and Drugs. All
students received a band and the
entire event was kept in the school
gym.
Although the Motivational Day
was deemed a success by both
students and organizers alike
the school has no intention on
stopping there. Throughout the
year there will be a targeted follow
up to this event. The student care
team of the school designed a
method of measuring whether
or not a student is making wise
decision. All students of the PSVE
will receive this tool. They will be
expected to keep track of their own
decision making; their home room
teachers will also be monitoring
behavior and helping students
track their behavior. Not only that,
the students themselves will also
be called on to keep each other in
line. At the end of the school year
the student of every class with the
highest points will receive a prize.
They will receive the Behavior Star
Award and other prizes which may
range from a Kindle to a mobile
phone.
Mrs. Cocks indicated that this
was a pilot project. If deemed
successful it may become a yearly
activity within the school. This
Motivational Day stems from the
brainstorming of the student care
team who saw the need to tackle
NEW School being built for
SBO/Adults, Second & Chance Students!
O
n September the
5th
2011,
the
construction
of
the school for Advanced
Secondary, Professional
& technical Vocational
Education began behind
the Raoul Illidge Stadium
located in Cay Hill. Close
to the Fire Department you
can already see the new
campus for the Hillside
Christian School rising
high, and next to this
–closer to the Puma Road
- contractor Taliesin has
laid out the foundations
for the new School.
Classes are being taught
within a few classrooms
located
at
various
high schools, namely
MPC, SMVTS, Sundial
and PSVE Academy
until the new school is
completed and open.
The School will fulfill the
need to facilitate SBO
students with their own
classrooms and utilities.
The construction as well as the inventory
of the new Advanced Secondary, Professional
& technical Vocational Education School is
funded by the Dutch Development Funds
for Education and Youth. Pream Architects
designed the school and also monitors the
construction process together with DERPI
(Division of Educational research, Policy
and Innovations) and VROMI.
The school will consist of: a
computer lab, a media center,
5 general classrooms, skill
labs for automotive/ maritime,
construction, carpentry, welding/
metal and electrical/plumbing, a
teacher’s room and staff rooms.
It is aimed to be completed in
August 2012, just before the
new school year starts.
The construction as well as the
inventory of the school is funded
by the Dutch Development
Funds for Education and Youth.
Pream Architects designed
the school and also monitors
the
construction
process
together with DERPI (Division
of Educational research, Policy
and Innovations) and VROMI.
In the next issues of the VE
quarterly magazine, you will
continue to be updated on
the construction progress of
the Advanced Secondary,
Professional
&
technical
Vocational Education School.
7
Fun day at Guana Bay Beach!
Youth Development Program treats its students to a day of fun in the sun
“Events like these have been organized in the past; for example the PC repair classes were treated
to dinner at various restaurants including Pineapple Pete, Berry’s and Peg Leg. They would also go
to the movies. The SPW1 (caregiver course) was treated to a tour at an upscale daycare and lunch at
Pineapple Pete’s. That’s just a few of the motivational activities that have been done by the YDP.”
T
he
Youth
Development
Program (YDP) is a program
geared towards motivating
and educating our young people
on St. Maarten. YDP is for
youngsters (between 16 and
24 years) who were not able to
complete secondary education
therefore YDP has always known
the importance of continuously
motivating the students in the
program.
The most recent motivational
activity included a fun day at
the Guana Bay Beach for the
students that began the program
in September 2011. The fun day
was organized by their teacher
Mr. Peter Arndell and guidance
counselors Ms. Sharon Richards
and Ms. Shameda Delaney.
Students learned the basics of
surfing from Mr. Arndell who is also
heavily involved in the community
when it comes to sports and youth
development. The students also
did team building activities in
which students enjoyed the activity
8
where they had to balance a stick
as a team.
However YDP was not the only
one treating that day; the students
decided to cook and bring their
favorite foods to the fun day.
Dishes such as baked chicken,
locrie, potato salad and rice and
peas were enjoyed by both the
staff and the students...yummy! All
in all, the students got a chance
to bond and interact with one
another in the effort to keep them
motivated, focused and in general
good spirits.
Events like these have been
organized in the past; for example
the PC repair classes were treated
to dinner at various restaurants
including Pineapple Pete, Berry’s
and Peg Leg. They would also go to
the movies. The SPW1 (caregiver
course) was treated to a tour at
an upscale daycare and lunch at
Pineapple Pete’s. That’s just a few
of the motivational activities that
have been done by the YDP.
Motivational outings are one of
the tools used by the program to
stimulate students to successfully
complete the program and keep
them motivated along the way.
Experience with the groups
until now has shown that these
motivational activities/ outings do
work!
The motivational activities as well
as the program are fully funded
by USONA the Dutch funding
agency. However if anyone would
like to assist us in motivating our
youngsters in becoming educated
responsible citizens; our door
is open! We also motivate the
students through guest lecturers
who come and deliver motivational
speeches to the youngsters.
Remember; it takes a village to
raise a child!
Want to know more about YDP
and what we are doing for our
youngsters in the community
please feel free to call us at 5430497 or email us at sxm_ydp@
hotmail.com.