St. Patrick's Newtown Girls' RC Primary School

Vision

Newtown Girls’ R.C. School has a vision of becoming a dynamic educational institution with the aim to develop our students’ spirituality, to expand knowledge, to cultivate critical thinking and creativity in students, thereby enabling them to apply the necessary analytical and problem solving skills to meet the challenges of an ever-changing global society. Mission Our mission is to: -
• focus on collaboration of parents, community leaders and all stakeholders to promote student development
• build a strong religious foundation, academic excellence, patriotism and a willingness to contribute positively to society
• support committed and learned teachers
• impart a relevant and enriching curriculum
• ensure a safe and comfortable physical environment

Newtown Girls' R.C. School is situated at 18-20 Maraval Road, Newtown, Port-of- Spain. This school is bordered by the urban districts of Newtown, St. Clair and Woodbrook. Tragarete Road divides Woodbrook from Newtown while Maraval Road separates St. Clair from Newtown. Each of these districts has its own unique history and each in turn has impacted on the history of the school. The school was founded by the Cluny Sisters in 1887. It was established to house the children of the maids who were employed by the elite of the area. The nuns ran the school up to the 1920’s. In later years, many of the residences did not send their children to the school, instead choosing to send them to St. Theresa’s Girls’ R.C. or Tranquillity Government School. This was due to the stigma that it was a school for the maid’s children. If enrolled, the students stayed only to the end of the infant school. Newtown Girls' R.C. was originally called St Patrick’s Girls’ R.C. School. The name was changed to Newtown Girls’ Roman Catholic School in the late sixties. Religious Education has always been at the centre of our education. The students always attended Mass once per month and prayed the rosary daily. In earlier times, Newtown Girls’ R.C. consisted of two structures, a wooden structure which housed pupils from first year to standard one and a concrete building which housed pupils from standard two to standard six. An almond tree strategically located in the yard provided shade for the pupils. The student population approximately ninety students in total was taught by the nuns. However, later on lay people were appointed to teach at the school. Ms. Louise Cockburn, the principal at the time worked extremely hard to increase the population of the school. The house system of this school began when the system was introduced to Port of Spain. At this time too, the curriculum involved the development of skills which included the girls being engaged in handiwork, needlework and cooking. In the early seventies under the leadership of Ms. Rita Phillip, the school had a population of approximately three hundred pupils and about thirteen teachers. The classes were streamlined into two, (A) and (B) classes. The curriculum was more academic than in the past. The houses in the house system were named after sports personalities like Hasely Crawford and Jean Pierre. However, the houses were later renamed after gems. The school had two uniforms, the main or regular uniform which consisted of the green overall and a white blouse and a dress uniform which was white in colour and consisted of green buttons and a monogram of the shamrock on the shoulder. Presently the main uniform is still the same but the dress uniform is now called the games uniform and it no longer carries the shamrock and the main uniform now carries the school’s monogram. In the early eighties under the leadership of Mrs. Cynthia Pierre, a fire partially destroyed the concrete structure along with the existing school records. As a result classes were held at two temporary locations, the Eshe's Learning Centre on Ariapita Avenue and the Welfare League on Tragarete Road; this arrangement lasted for about one year. The rebuilding of the school took about one year and it was spearheaded by the School’s Building Committee, which consisted of teachers and parents. The committee had to raise one third of the cost of the building. The parental support and that of the committee were at its maximum and the school was opened in September 1985 by Mr. Clive Pantin, the Minister of Education at the time. The new school consisted of a three storey structure and a separate building for the infants. Newtown Girls' R.C. has always been a school noted for its high standard of education and for producing all round students. The school has always been academically strong because of committed teachers and great parental involvement. Newtown Girls’ Roman Catholic School excelled in the extracurricular activities. The school was also popularly known as the singing and dancing school as we excelled at the Arts and Music Festival. Drama was taught by Mrs. Hazel Thompson Ahyee, a teacher at the school. Later on the recorder was taught and every child played the recorder. As a result of this the school was always called upon by the Ministry of Education to perform for social and cultural events. Presently Newtown Girls’ R. C. still strives to maintain a high standard at academic and non-academic activities. The school has produced many professionals who have excelled in their choice fields. As a Catholic school, we also focus on our doctrine and promote our ethos in collaboration with parents and parish.