Students of Obistan Kinder Prep show off their talent. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

It may be small in size but it is big on exceptional performances. Around since 1971, Obistan Kinder Preparatory continues to produce excellent and well-rounded students, many of whom have become successful in many fields.

Located in Washington Gardens, in the Kingston 20 area, the school has been catering mostly to children living in and near to the area.

"Most of our students are from the area and they come from mostly working middle-class families. We can say that the children are not bad at all, the discipline is good," noted Marlene Brown, principal.

There are 107 students enrolled at the school, including kindergarteners who are exposed to a well-balanced curriculum.

These students are under the tutelage of nine teachers who Brown credits as being professionals and almost parent-like to the students.

"We employ teachers who are fully qualified from the kinder level. They attend seminars constantly and we even have some at the master's level. When we employ teachers of this nature, it improves the performance of the students. The teachers here have their students at heart," said Brown.

With a motto as empowering as 'Training Tomorrow's Leaders Today', the objective of the institution are embedded in three principles: To be spiritually alive, mentally alert and physically fit. Under the current school curriculum, students are exposed to subjects and activities geared at fulfilling these objectives.

Brown

"Other than the core subjects, students are exposed to other activities like swimming, dancing, music, football and netball. These help to shape them holistically," emphasised the head teachers.

Founded by the Church of the Open Bible, the school puts great emphasis on instilling Christian values within its students. "Every single morning we have our devotions and students must attend. At the end of every month, we have our chapel service where we invite someone from the church to minister and expound on perhaps a specific scripture. This normally adds a little substance," Brown explained.

The head mistress also noted that plans were in the making to add a spiritual programme to the school's curriculum to meet the needs of students.

"We offer religious education, but that subject doesn't necessarily go in depth, it just touches the broader areas. The programme we are thinking of will address their individual spiritual needs," she said.

With the spiritual aspect under wraps at the school, academic performances have also been going well. Results from Grade Six Achievement Tests reflect this.

"Passes have been quite good and as a matter of fact, we can boast that 95 per cent of our students graduate from here to continue their studies at a traditional high school," Brown said proudly.

Cognisant of the fact that many of their students are from working-class households, an after-school service was established.

A secure Christian environment

"We employ persons to help with assignments after school and this gives parents extra time to pick up there children from school," the principal explained.

"Parents will feel comfortable leaving their children here as the school is in a secure Christian environment," she added.

Registration for new students is now in process and will end in August. According to the principal, there is space to accommodate many more than the school's current total.

Some of the most anticipated activities hosted by the school are its sports day, carol service and fund-raising events like the upcoming school barbecue in May.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com