Newly appointed principal of Charlie Smith High School, Christopher Wright is on a mission to transform the culture of the secondary school, instilling discipline and order while also improving academic performances.

Located in Trench Town in St Andrew, the school is surrounded by a historically dangerous community, whose characteristics have transferred to some of its students.

Charlie Smith High School has developed a reputation as a school that has low academic performances and violent flare ups among its students, which has resulted in the institution being provided with metal detectors to ensure students do not bring weapons on the compound.

While speaking with Our Today, Wright shared that he believes the most challenging part of this goal will be to sell a vision to a diverse group of people who might be opposed to certain ideas that he wants to implement.

“The challenge is to bring all of [that diversity] together to sell a vision to a diverse group of people and to ensure that everyone works towards that vision so that the children of Arnett Gardens and the wider Trench Town community are successful,” he stated.

With 20 years of experience at the primary level, Wright shared that he sought a new challenge and, when the position became available, he applied to fulfill this desire.

“The opportunity came up and I just knew that it was a challenge I wanted to take on. I knew that there are problems at the primary level and when you look at it you will say ‘whatever problems you have at the primary level it is probably amplified [at the secondary level],'” he explained.

As such, on September 1, 2022, his first day as the newly appointed principal, he walked through the yellow and brown gates on a mission to transform Charlie Smith.

“We’re working towards a better Charlie Smith. We’re working towards building on the foundation that would have been laid over the years and we are working to eradicate some of the ills that affect the teaching and learning process,” he stated.

Students want structure

Wright also added that, though the students are indisciplined, during his short time at the school he has realised that they value and want structure.

“The children, they too want structure and an organised school. They want a school that is holding them accountable as well. Some might resist, but they want structure. Children are always wanting structure, they want some organised situation for them to grow and develop,” he explained.

Wright also shared that the thing he loves most about the school is the high spirit and various talents that the students possess and he hopes to create an environment that will foster their further growth.

“The children are very talented in the creative arts and sports. Those are skills that will be needed in this 21st Century in order to create employment,” he stated.

As such, he hopes to drastically improve the academic performances of students as well as their school environment, to ensure their success.

“We already live in a disorderly society and what we have to ensure that the children here are not of that ill. They are exposed to it, they see it everyday, so the school has to provide a different avenue for them,” he stressed.

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