Maldon Primary vows to build on late principal’s legacy
Published:Saturday | January 4, 2020 | 12:26 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer -
WESTERN BUREAU:
While administrators of Maldon Primary School in St James prepare for a period of mourning following the sudden death of principal Audrey Bernard-Kilbourne, they are determined to protect the legacy of educational excellence she has left behind.
Forty-four-year-old Bernard-Kilbourne, who originally hailed from Flankers in the parish and lived at Stonebrook in Falmouth, Trelawny, had served as principal of Maldon Primary since January 2013. She passed away on Boxing Day, December 26, following a period of illness.
Nyesta Plummer, the acting principal, remembered her predecessor as an educator who cared enough about her students to make personal time for them.
“I met Mrs Bernard-Kilbourne five years ago (in 2014), and once you approached her, you would automatically gravitate to her. She developed a rapport with her students. On a day-to-day basis, they would come to her and talk with her, and she would find programmes to enhance each child in every area, including cabinetmaking, working on the school’s farm, and the 4H Club,” said Plummer.
High standards
“We’re trying to live up to her expectations and the legacy she has left behind. She was a person of high standards, and we’re trying to live up to what she has planted and moulded here,” Plummer added.
During her tenure at the school, Bernard-Kilbourne promoted numeracy among the students, which led to several educational murals being painted around the property. She also spearheaded several infrastructure development projects for the school, including the erection of perimeter fencing.
However, Bernard-Kilbourne’s tenure as principal was marred by her battle in the Supreme Court with the school’s board over her removal from the post in 2014. The court ruled in 2015 that her termination was unlawful, as proper guidelines were not followed.
Despite Bernard-Kilbourne’s occasional disagreements with others, Alphacine Wilson, vice-chairman of Maldon Primary’s management board, noted that the late principal made an effort to interact with teachers and parents, as well as students.
“She worked well with, and for, her teachers, and she had a very good communication system with parents. She had special activities for parents, including teaching mathematics to parents,” said Wilson.