About The Hope Valley Experimental School

from Ms. Renee Smith, Head of Special Education

Hope Valley Experimental School is a government institution established for the integration of students who are both disabled and able-bodied children into the school environment. These students are housed into specific groupings of the school body including the Infant, Primary and Special Education Unit. Within this context, the school has children who range from the ages of four to twelve years old attending the institution. Currently, the school has approximately eight hundred (800) students in its attendance.

Our noble institution has garnered credence for its integration of these students by being named the only school in the English-Speaking Caribbean to have accomplished this goal. As such, our educators have worked tirelessly to maintain a certain standard of educating the students. These standards are implemented by attaining sufficient knowledge through workshops, seminars and staff meetings strategically provided for our educators. Training sessions are integral to the successes in our school. These sessions are normally conducted on varied topics or issues including establishing a stimulating environment for learning and the importance of educating a set of diverse students through the process of “differentiated instruction” or ‘different mechanisms used to instruct learners’.

Through this clear understanding, we recognize our role as educators has a lasting impact on our students. Our role has been changed from merely teaching to be the facilitator of learning utilizing these skills necessary for excellence. Additionally, our school environment must be conducive to learning for our students, especially since they are from inner city communities. These students are marginalized and disregarded by some members of society which undeniably prevents them from reaching their full potential. To this end, the school has decided to make attempts for changing their outcome from negative to positive. The approach is simply creating a conducive, stimulating and differentiated learning environment to achieve success. According to Steinherr (2000), ‘Great education is a combination of a supporting environment, dedicated teachers and students who take joy in learning.’ Therefore, the school has been on a mission to improve the surroundings and learning of our students to maximize their fullest potentia