Starting A School

I was having a flashback earlier this morning about the school I started with Senator Elliston Rahming in Nassau, Bahamas in 1994. Dr. Rahming was, and still is, a visionary who was determined to establish and run a private school with two important features: affordable fees and no corporal punishment. I thought I was being interviewed for the position of English teacher. Boy! Was I wrong! The day after the interview Dr. Rahming called and asked me to come back in and discuss being his deputy-director.

We did keep school fees affordable. We banished corporal punishment from the discipline code. Our little cadre of faculty - there were six of us - taught seventh grade through ninth grade. Ninth grade was important because the ninth graders had to sit the BJC examinations in May. We teachers all held our breath then breathed a great sigh of relief when the ninth graders actually did quite well.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Academy came into existence because of one man's determination and vision. What about you? Thinking about starting a private school? I share my thoughts and tips with you here.