Pell River Primary School Students Get Back-To-School Supplies

The 144 students at the Pell River Primary School in Hanover have benefited from much-needed supplies for the start of the new academic year in September.

Specially packed school bags containing various items to meet the students’ grade-level needs were handed over during a coronavirus (COVID-19) safe back-to-school event organised by the Sandals Foundation at the institution recently.

The items provided include notebooks, storybooks, pencils, crayons, markers, highlighters, pens, erasers, art supplies, flash cards, construction paper, folder leaves, folders, rulers, sharpeners, calculators, pencil cases and toys.

Due to the COVID-19 protocols, not all the students were present on the day to receive their back-to-school packages but will be able to collect them from the school at a later date.

The Pell River Primary School event was part of an annual initiative done in partnership with Sandals Negril and Beaches Negril to provide school supplies to some 600 infant and primary school students in the parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover.

Usually, the back-to-school activity would take the form of a fun day with refreshment and entertainment for the children, but those components were cut this year due to the pandemic.

Regional Public Relations Manager for Sandals, Beaches and Grand Pineapple Negril, Jervene Simpson, tells JIS News that similar handovers will be done at the Little Bay Primary and Infant School, Happy Hearts Early Childhood Institution, and the West End Infant School in Westmoreland.

She says the Sandals Foundation recognises that many parents are facing financial challenges due to the pandemic.

“Many of them have been calling us, many of the principals and teachers have [also] been asking us if we could provide parents with supplies because what we realise is that a lot of our parents have either lost their jobs, or they are working less,” she notes.

“So, the demand for finances is really high and back-to-school expenses are things that we know will always hit them come the start of the new school year so this is our way of helping our parents [and] helping our students to be ready the next school year,” Ms. Simpson says.

Principal of the Pell River Primary School, Sherine Clarke, expresses gratitude to the Sandals Foundation for the supplies.

“We are truly grateful to the Sandals Foundation for taking the time out to be with us to share in this back-to-school initiative. Our parents, because [of the pandemic], it is not easy for them to find the resources for their children for back-to-school,” she notes.

Ms. Clarke says that Sandals Foundation has been a long-standing supporter of the school.

“We have a done a series of projects with Sandals Foundation including a breast cancer awareness sensitisation event for our parents and a recycling art competition, which we won. They have also done Christmas treats at the school, and ensure that we feel special on Teacher’s Day,” she says.

Parent Collett Bailey, who has two children attending Pell River Primary School, tells JIS News that she is grateful for the support.

Another parent, Marva Harris, says she appreciates the gesture, and looks forward to even more support from the Sandals Foundation.

Grade six student, Janeilla Jones, for her part, says that the donation of school supplies has taken “a little bit of [financial pressure] off the parents”.

“I think everyone is very grateful for the Sandals Foundation. They are very caring and willing to give back to us and for that we are very thankful,” Rickalia Miller, also of grade six, tells JIS News.