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The much loved and revered Educator and former Principal of the Sandy Point High School (Charles E Mills Secondary) Mr. William Vincent A. Hodge has returned to the federation to take up appointment as the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education.

Mr Hodge was officially introduced as the new Chief Civil Servant in Education on Monday during the official opening ceremony of the new school year . Mr Hodge was warmly received by the scores of teachers, educators and other stakeholders in the Ministry of Education.

In addressing the ceremony Hodge made a number of announcements regarding changes within the Ministry of Education across schools on the island of St.Kitts. A number of the High Schools will benefit with the insertion of new Principles. Boris Connor has been announced as the new Principal at the Charles E Mills Secondary School while Maurice Benjamin takes up the Principles post at the Basseterre High School. Mrs Ivy Flanders has been promoted to the Principleship of the Saddlers Secondary School. Mr Hodge also announced a nuber of changes of Principles and Assistant Principles at the Primary Schools level.

 

Mr. William V.A. Hodge graduated the  Sandy Point High School in 1974, and  entered the teaching fraternity and was assigned to the then Sandy Point Junior School. He taught Grade 5 for two years before attending the St. Kitts-Nevis Teachers’ College as a full time student from 1976 – 1978. On achieving his certification as a trained teacher, he was posted at Verchilds All-Age School. After 14 months there he was reassigned to the Sandy Point Junior School as the Assistant to the revered Head Teacher, the late Rosabelle Warner of Sandy Point.

 

In 1986 Mr. Hodge was promoted to the rank of Head Teacher and assumed responsibility for the St. Paul’s Primary School. In a record three years he became one of the most respected, and well-liked teachers to work in modern day St. Paul’s. Mr. Hodge attributes his success at St. Paul’s Primary to the quality of his relationship with the parents and the community in general.

 

In order to equip himself for leadership within the St. Kitts-Nevis education system, Mr. Hodge journeyed to Scotland in the United Kingdom on a British Council scholarship tenable at Moray House College of Education at the University of Edinburgh. In 1991 he graduated with a First Class Honors degree majoring in Educational Management and Administration.

 

History was created during the Silver Jubilee year of the SPHS when in September of 1991  Mr. Hodge became the FIRST past student of the Sandy Point High School to take the reigns as the 6^thPrincipal of the institution. He identifies the opportunity to lead his alma mater as his major achievement in the field of education. As an instructional leader, Mr. Hodge served the Sandy Point High School and its constituent communities with distinction, with integrity and with a sense of purpose. His passion for excellence in teaching and learning was ignited by his tough love for his students, and by his belief in giving second chances.

 

After 26 years of committed and dedicated service to the children of St. Kitts and Nevis Mr. Hodge formally retired in 2000, and took up residence overseas. He continued his teaching career in Maryland, where he resided and taught English to middle school students, served as  a a part time adjunct instructor of Reading at the Anne Arundel Community College. He earned his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University in Virginia in 2006.