History of Black River Primary & Infant School
During the 1900 the only recognized school in the town of Black River was the Government Aided Anglican Elementary School which was then located on School Street. At that time the school had an enrollment of approximately 180 students. The school made significant progress under the leadership of the then Head Teacher, Mr. Albert Reynolds.
In 1952, the school was relocated to its present site at 19 Central Road. The Common Entrance Examination which was introduced in 1957 brought about a reconstruction of the education system. The school achieved excellent result and continued to grow numerically.
Miss M. Barrett and Mrs. J. Watson, past teachers at the institution are products of that era.
In 1970 the Black River Primary Junior Secondary School was opened and so, the elementary school started to cater for students 6-12 years.
In 1975, the Rotary Club of Black River built the Infant Department. This was later expanded through community effort to accommodate 150 students. Thus the school became Black River Primary and Infant School. This department now boasts a total of 161 students.
Overcrowding became unbearable. Thus the school was refurbished and completed in August 1994. Occupancy took place in October that same year.
Today the school continue to fulfill both its motto, Together We Build and it's mission statement which alludes to producing well-rounded individuals. Since the inception of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), the school has performed consistently above the National and Regional averages. In fact in 1999, when GSAT examination results were released, the school walked away with a Government Scholarship. Since then 10 more scholarships have been awarded to top performers from both Government and private institutions. These include the Marcus Garvey Scholarship, Blue Cross Jamaica Scholarship and Victoria Building Society Scholarship.
New initiatives are continually being introduced to enhance academic performance. Information Technology and Guidance are now included in the curriculum. The library programme facilitates better performance of students literacy. Our students are involved in clubs which exposed them to extra-curricular activities. These include: Reading Club, Brownies, 4-H, Culture, Environment, Spelling, Quiz, Sports, Mathematics, and Good news clubs.
The school participates in several competitions and boast numerous cups, trophies and certificates of merits in the National Festival of the Arts Competitions at all levels. It also entered the reading and various poster competitions and has been an active participant of the Cluster, Kwanis and National Spelling Bee Competitions. We have also been involved in the TVJ Junior School Challenge Quiz loosing in the second round by one and two points respectively in each match.
In the area of sports, students are exposed to varied events. In football, the school won the Donald Buchanan competitions for seven consecutive years. Donald Buchanan Trophy for the overall champions and the credit unions trophy, for the most uniformed grouped, are currently held by the school. The Good News Sports club plaque for the St. Elizabeth Chapter has been with the school since the inception of the clubs annual sports day 5 years ago. The school is also performing incredibly in cricket and is involved in competitions against other school in the cluster. J.T.A. District Association.
Our annual athletic meeting is a treat as the school continues to accumulate medals and trophies at the school, parish and national levels. Our school is currently the champion of the Teachers’ District Association sports meet in the Primary section.
The Parent Teachers Association is very vibrant and plays a vital role in the activities of the school. Several groups and organization have facilitated the use of the school from time to time. The Guidance Department maintains an out reach programme and caters to students who are less fortunate. It also reinforces Peace and love in the Society (PALS) and peace day is given much prominence annually. The members of staff must be commended for the tremendous level of application, dedication and commitment without which the school could not have realized it’s mission.
There is a conscious recognition that could not be accomplished without divine guidance and so the Lord is placed as we begin with devotion each day.