It is our intention to work closely with the right partners on the ground, to ensure we truly do deliver a long-term sustainable educational facility that will form part of a 'new Haiti'
Infrastructure
After appointing our Port-au-Prince based architects, Architecture and Design (AD) in May 2010, we approved the concept design in June and worked with our excellent on-site Project Managers, Altus Page Kirkland (APK) to move forward into detailed design. The construction documents and bid analysis have been completed and we are happy to report that all Civil and Construction bids have been awarded.
We are in construction phase and are quite literally moving earth.
Curriculum
The school will start at nursery level (3-year old) and end at baccalaureate level.
At full capacity, the school with count 720 students, and will be as large as the two best schools of Haiti, the Lycee Alexandre Dumas of Port-au-Prince and the Lycee Alcibiade Pommayrac of Jacmel.
The goal is to achieve a 100% success rate at the Haitian baccalaureate exams and 90% at the French baccalaureate exams.
Kindergarten students will be taught in English and French, as early as nursery school.
As of 1st grade, students will follow the 16-year Haitian curriculum.
Creole, French and English will be taught to ensure fluency at the end of the "Ecole Fondamentaie" level (10th grade in the Haitian system.)
Who can apply?
The school will be accessible to all, with a priority given to children not already enrolled in other schools and to residents of the Commune of Saint-Marc and the children of refugees who moved to Saint-Marc further to the earthquake. The selection system will emulate that of US Charter Schools.
The intention is to mix students from different socio-cultural backgrounds.
How much is the school fee?
There is no school fee or tuition. The school is entirely free of charge, including meals, uniforms and school
What is the school plan?
6 classes of Kindergarten (ages 3 to 5) will be opened in October 2011, for a total of 153 children.
An additional section comprising two classes and 50 children will be added every year until 2019 (Ecole Fondamentale).
From 2020 to 2023, a 30-student class for each of the last 4 sections (Secondaire) will be added each year.
Who will be running the school?
The school will be operated by Hand in Hand for Haiti Foundation. It has been endorsed by the Haitian Minister of Education, Monsieur Joel Desrosiers Jean-Pierre, who gave his agreement in principle advising that it was aligned with the strategies and policies of his ministry and Government.
The project also received the strong support from the French Ambassador, Monsieur Didier le Bret, and his Attaché for Cooperation and Cultural Development, Monsieur Alain Sauval, with the promise to allocate 4 "volunteers" that the French Government will assign to Haiti.The Ambassador deems the project the most important investment in the field of education outside of Port-au-Prince in the past 30 years.
The French Lycée of Port-au-Prince will also make it a partner school and help its development.
HIHH will hire both local and foreign teachers trained and experienced in current pedagogic methods.
Health
The school will provide basic health and psychological screening and assistance.
Infirmany
An small Infirmany will be built with basic and required equipment to administer basic health services.
HIHH will coordinate regular visits of MDs and DDSs to the school, including volunteers from the United States.
Staffing
An psychologist specialized in early childhood development will be present on a full-time basis.
A nutritionist will consult with the school to ensure the meals are balanced and nutritious.
In time, HIHH will study the possibility to expand the facilities to welcome walk-in patients from the area.
Sports
Several sport facilities will be built on school ground
Soccer pitch (international regulation) with track
Basket-ball court
Volley-ball court
The soccer pitch and track will be accessible to the Saint-Marc community under a convention signed with the school
An athletic program will be designed to enhance the academic curriculum and offer the possibility to the best athletes to receive university scholarships
Community
The school will be actively involved in the local community of Saint-Marc and will play a positive role in its economic, social, and academic progress.
HIHH will create local short-term and long-term jobs and is committed to fair labor practices.
How it will benefit the local community?
- The school will optimize local procurement of equipments, furniture and food
- The school will help train or re-train local teachers
- The school soccer pitch and track will be made available to the community of Saint-Marc
In the mid-term, the school will consider adding some vocational training possibilities
HIHH will also identify a product/products to be manufactured locally and sold in the Travel Retail channel and revive traditional crafts for international distribution
Environment & Sustainability
Construction materials will be selected, as much as possible, to ensure they meet "environment-friendly standards".
- The school will optimize the use of renewable energy (solar) in addition to traditional energy sources (grid with invertors, generators)
- A minimum of 21 acres of land will be replanted with indigenous trees
- A school garden could be considered to grow fruits and vegetables that could be used to by the school kitchen with potential excess donated to local schools
The school curriculum will emphasize the need to protect the environment and to think that the economic development of Haiti must be assessed through the long-term sustainability lens.
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