Remonia Stoddart-Morrison - Elgin Taylor

There are a number of non-traditional high schools that have been defying the odds, getting commendable performances from students. One such school is Eltham High in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

The school's claim was outlined in an interview The Star had with vice-Principal Remonia Stoddart-Morrison.

"We are doing very well in the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) examination and our students have been accepted in a number of sixth-form schools," she noted.

Stoddart-Morrison has been a vice-principal since September 2007, but has been at school since its inception in 2001.

Among her duties are getting students settled in for her shift, dealing with matters of indiscipline and, generally, supervising children and teachers on her shift.

Stoddart-Marrison she said there is a rich heritage of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities at the school. These include cricket, football, athletics, and clubs societies such as Red Cross, Girl Guide, 4-H and cadet corps.

She further explained that it is the belief of the school's administration that extra-curricular activities should go hand-in-hand with its academic programme.

A number of Eltham's athletes, she said, have gone on to attend the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports.

The Blackwoods, Clarendon-born educator also stated that the school has won the Grace Shield for cricket for five consecutive years, and a number of its athletes have represented Jamaica.

The Jonathan Grant past student said her greatest challenge, as an educator, is the disconnect which seems to exist between the school and community.

"My greatest problem is to observe the effect that parents have on their children. For example, what they are taught in school, respect and the handling of conflicts, are not reinforced in homes," she lamented.

A stickler for discipline, the enterprising educator described herself as being firm, focused, jovial and possessing a good sense of humour.

She was educated at the University of Technology where she obtained a diploma in computer studies and a bachelor of science degree in computer studies and management, and at the University of the West Indies (UWI) from which she obtained a post-graduate diploma in educational administration.

She is currently pursuing a master's degree in educational administration at UWI.

Stoddart-Morrison taught at a private school, Institute for Practical and Academic Studies, before taking up her present assignment at Eltham High. She is of the belief that, "Everybody can become somebody in life, and the avenue is through education."