Jeffrey Broomes, outgoing Principal at Parkinson Memorial School, presenting the school with a portrait of himself to be placed in the hall. Receiving it is Headgirl, Tanneil Burnett, and Headboy, Neantro Spencer.

Goodbye, sir!

Students, staff say farewell as Principal Jeff Broomes retires

 

There is only one Jeff Broomes!
 
This is according to Patricia Doyle, Secretary at Parkinson Memorial School, where he served as Principal for the past three years.
 
After a career in education spanning 40 years, Broomes will be retiring from the teaching service come May 1.
 
Yesterday, in grand style, students and faculty at The Pine institution held a memorable tribute in his honour.
 
Broomes began his teaching career at the St Lucy Secondary School where he worked for 22 years. While there, he served as Vice-President and President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), first elected in 1989 and re-elected unopposed for many years.
 
After his stint at St Lucy Secondary, he was promoted to Deputy Principal of the St James Secondary School. It was while at St James that Broomes joined with the Principals of Combermere, Alexandra and Ellerslie to lead the implementation process for EduTech in the secondary schools in Barbados.
 
After two years at St James, Broomes was transferred to The St Michael School for three years; afterwards taking up his first assignment as Principal in 2002 at the Alexandra School.
 
According to Doyle, “He is unique with his special way of doing things and you must first get to know him before you judge him.
 
“He came to Parkinson and he has made all of us in his office and who spend time there seem like family,” she said of Broomes, who joined Parkinson after being transferred from Alexandra School. 
 
The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) called for the separation of Broomes from the St Peter school and following the Commission of Enquiry in 2012, it was recommended that he be moved, as well as a number of other teachers.
 
“The events that led to Mr Broomes’ departure from Alexandra are well known. We can only say that Alexandra’s loss become Parkinson’s gain,” Doyle stressed.
 
She recalled that from the day he arrived, Broomes approached his duties with passion and commitment.
 
“He brought a clear focus that was based on student success in the classroom and on the playing field, affirmation for work well done by both students and teachers as well as respect for the legacy of the school.
 
“Working with the different heads of departments, he restructured and customised the school’s curriculum to give students greater choice in their subject options. This was supported by the establishment of a remedial class to give assistance to those children entering school with the lowest marks in the Common Entrance Examination. These children were given two years to establish a firm foundation,” she said.
 
During the ceremony, Broomes heard presentations from fellow principals, students and friends. Carl “Alf” Padmore also reminisced about Broomes – the committed educator, administrator, president/trade unionist, athlete, coach, song writer, columnist, calypsonian, cook, husband, father and grandfather.
 
In fact, he announced that the outgoing principal is deserving of a Barbados Service Star.
 
“We are of the opinion that this great man has done so much for education in Barbados. Come June 2016, it will be submitted – an application to the Cabinet Office of Barbados recommending that Mr Jeffrey Broomes is given a nation honour in the form of a Barbados Service Star for the annual independence honour of 2016.” (TL) 

 

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