A Dominica-based education organization has joined forces with a St. Maarten Catholic education foundation on a new initiative aimed at improving support for students with special educational needs.
Education, Consulting, Academic Advising and Mentoring (ECAAM) and the SKOS Catholic Education Foundation officially launched Project INSPIRE during a media event in St. Maarten, as per an ECAAM press release.
The two-year pilot is designed to help educators better respond to students with Special Educational Needs (SEN), while strengthening teaching practices and creating more inclusive learning environments.
SKOS Training Center Curriculum Director Gianne Wilson-De Weever said the project is focused on improving outcomes for students with SEN while giving teachers practical tools to address different learning needs.
INSPIRE stands for Inspiring, Nurturing, Support, for Professional, and Responsive, Inclusive Education.
ECAAM Facilitator Ivy Benjamin said the initiative will take a broad approach to special education rather than focusing only on classroom instruction.
The programme will begin with training for teachers and school managers, followed by opportunities to apply the techniques in practice. It will also include workshops for parents and public awareness activities aimed at increasing understanding of students and people living with disabilities.
Benjamin said the pilot will place particular emphasis on instruction, assessment and student support through professional development, regional cooperation and proven teaching approaches.
ECAAM Lead Consultant Beverly LeBlanc shared that educators from six St. Maarten schools will participate. They are Sister Regina Primary School, St. Dominic Primary School, St. Dominic High School, St. Joseph Catholic School of Education, Sister Borgia Elementary School and St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist School.
The programme is expected to help teachers identify individual student needs, adjust classroom methods and create settings where students can participate and engage more fully.
Project INSPIRE is being funded with support from St. Maarten-based businesses Winair, Winward Island Bank, Artmenia Events Planning, Accessible Ventures and The Hope-Ros Family.
Following the launch, SKOS Catholic Education Foundation Executive Director Lilia Aventurin-Hodge told Richie Ferrol Media Services that the project comes at an important time for improving educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
Aventurin-Hodge praised LeBlanc’s commitment and expertise and described the launch as a positive start to the two-year initiative. She also highlighted the wider objective of helping children develop the skills needed to become functional members of society.
The project will continue for two years under the partnership agreement between ECAAM and the SKOS Catholic Education Foundation.
The Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten (SKOS) is a Catholic education organization serving the island through a network of primary and secondary schools.
Catholic education on St. Maarten dates back to 1890, when the Dominican Sisters arrived on the island. SKOS said it continues to promote the academic, spiritual, social and emotional development of students.
The foundation said its schools aim to respond to individual student needs while encouraging innovation, professional development and partnerships that strengthen education.
Its school network includes St. Joseph School, Sister Regina Primary School, Sister Borgia Elementary School, Sister Magda Primary School, Sister Marie Laurence Primary School, St. Dominic Primary School and St. Dominic High School.
SKOS also supports programmes focused on inclusive education, student well-being and specialized learning needs, including the Mustard Seed Special Needs Program.
