Post-Easter plans for Meadowbrook Prep to counter impact of fatal shooting

Meadowbrook Preparatory School Principal Gloria Francis says the administration will have to plan a special welcome for students after the Easter break, in the wake of the traumatic shooting outside the compound earlier this week.

Students and administrators of the St Andrew-based school were sent scampering for cover on Tuesday when armed men ambushed a man, identified as Oto Anthony Carick, who police said was from addresses in Rockfort and Cassava Piece in the Corporate Area, outside the compound.

Carick reportedly went to pick up a grade three student on a motorcycle when the gunmen fired multiple shots, hitting him.

He was taken to the hospital where he died.

The child reportedly jumped from the motorcycle and escaped unscathed.

Francis said that many students were not at school for a special devotion and counselling sessions held by officials from the Ministry of Education and supported by colleagues from other Corporate Area schools on Wednesday – the final schoolday before the break – but administrators were keeping in touch with parents.

The school was dismissed at 1 p.m. on Wednesday and will reopen on April 18.

Francis said the shooting marred a week of festivities put on by the school, including a well-anticipated Sports Day for the children last Friday. The special welcome that she is hoping to plan will aim to rekindle that festive spirit.

“They (children) didn't see what happened yesterday. They only heard the explosions, but school was dismissed and they were on the campus outside. So they were very shaken up by it,” the principal said on Wednesday, noting that the incident was the first of its kind at the school.

“This school had been on a high. We had Sports Day on Friday and several other recent activities with the students, and we wanted to end the term on a high, and all of that was just tarnished with what took place,” she told The Gleaner.

On Wednesday, noticeably fewer students were seen playing on the school compound as a police team left the premises following a late interview. Two security guards and a mother discussed the incident which rattled the normally quiet community.

Except for the child whose guardian was killed, Francis said she is not anticipating any long-term impact on students from the incident.

“We will definitely have to go to the drawing board – the PTA (parent-teacher association) and myself – and see what can be done, because something special has to happen for that Welcome Day back to school,” Francis noted, explaining that, because students will be out on their Easter break, administrators will not be able to do follow-up counselling.

“So, we have to do something to let them know that, 'Hey, we are here and we are back',” she continued, adding that parents have been extremely supportive as the school family works through the crisis.

On Wednesday, the police could not give any additional update on the incident, but noted that they are actively searching for suspects.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com