Principal turns walls into canvases of hope

Dwayne Dubidad’s love for children and passion for their growth have inspired him on his journey from art and music teacher to principal of Stony Hill Primary and Infant School, where his labour of love includes beautification and development projects.

The muralist, who attended Mico Teachers’ College, continues to switch professional hats on occasion in inspiring students to become exemplars and model citizens.

When Dubidad took office in October 2021, he recognised that the school’s naked walls yearned to become canvases of encouragement for students. There was also need for a general facelift.

The bare walls, he argued, demotivated the children as they entered the school.

“Instinctively, that was one of the first things I needed to do, to get some murals on these walls,” Dubidad said in a Gleaner interview on Wednesday, which was celebrated as Teachers’ Day.

“I said to myself, ‘All right then, let me do something that will attract them to that sentence to make them believe, to make them understand that ... we are not going to just be saying ‘Excellence is a Habit’, but it is something that we are going to be living in the school,’” he said in reference to the school’s motto.

The students, he boasted, have lent a hand in the beautification projects, offering scope for them to contribute to the school’s legacy.

The spirits of students were low as they returned to face-to-face instruction in January, weighed down by the displacement caused by the two-yearlong coronavirus pandemic.

The school also faced a slump in attendance.

“We [tried] to make the space fun for them, and we realise that they started coming ... . We are seeing that they are happy now to be in school,” Dubidad said.

Teachers have also applauded his efforts, as they, too, have felt more motivated to come into the space.

“I want it to be different. I don’t want it to be like ... the regular thing you see when you go to every primary school,” he added.

Dubidad has also taken on other development efforts to enhance the school’s appearance.

Rolling up his sleeves during his spare time, he has constructed a garden which he has fenced, built a coop, which is currently in need of chickens, to assist the canteen in food production and paved walkways throughout the school.

“Once I see something that needs to be done, I want to try it, and I tried it and realised that I’m good at it,” he said.

Individuals who visit the school’s grounds in search of the principal are sometimes greeted with Dubidad covered in paint or cement. But this, he said, has helped in changing the perspective of his leadership role.

“[They’re] shocked and they can’t believe, but ... what we try to do at Stony Hill Primary is for them to understand that it doesn’t matter if you are a security guard, a teacher, or a student or the cook, everybody can do anything. Once there is something to be done, you fold up your sleeve and you get it done,” he said.

Grade four teacher Tanya Parkes said it was a joy to work with Dubidad, as he has cultivated a comfortable working environment and established a “family”.

“I love children, so they motivate me,” she said despite occasional tiredness that may arise from the rigours of the job.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com