Posted: Monday, September 23, 2024. 5:16 pm CST.
Pallotti High School’s new principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman – Photo Credit: Rubén Morales Iglesias:
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: For the first time in its 67-year history, Pallotti High School (PHS) in Belize City has appointed a layperson as its principal. On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, students were greeted by their new principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman. The 32-year-old Reynolds-Bowman takes over from Sister Clara, S. A. C., who served as principal for the past 19 years.
Pallotti High School, one of only two all-girls schools in Belize City and the entire country, has been preparing for this transition for the past five years. This preparation began when Sister Clara became the Pallottine nuns’ Provincial Superior for Belize. Reynolds-Bowman will serve as acting principal for a year and is expected to be confirmed at the end of the school year. Additionally, she will undergo a three-year training program to learn more about managing the Pallottine high schools, which base their teachings on the life of St. Vincent Pallotti.
“I am honoured to lead Pallotti High School and continue the legacy of excellence established by Sister Clara and the Pallottine nuns,” Reynolds-Bowman told Breaking Belize News.
“Our focus will remain on providing a holistic education that empowers our young women to excel in all areas of life.”
Pallotti High School’s outgoing principal, Sr. Clara, and incoming principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman – Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Genevieve Rudon-Nelson
The student body welcomed Reynolds-Bowman with roaring applause when Sr. Clara introduced her at the school’s assembly in the PHS Auditorium on August 27.
“We want to welcome you to the school year 2024-2025,” Reynolds-Bowman told the school’s assembly.
“You know what we stand for here at Pallotti High School. We focus on spirituality, specifically on Roman Catholicism. We also focus on our academics and, just as important, discipline.”
Reynolds-Bowman was formally installed at a Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Belize City on Friday, August 30, in front of the school’s Governing Board, the Pallottine nuns, the student body, and invited guests.
Pallotti High School is a leading institution in Belize, with an enrollment of 400 students who pursue studies in science, business, and home economics. The school is known for its strong academic programs and commitment to the personal development of its students.
Pallotti High School’s outgoing principal, Sr. Clara, installing incoming principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman at St. Joseph’s Church in Belize City on August 30, 2024 – Photo Credit: Genevieve Rudon-Nelson
Sister Clara told Breaking Belize News that she has confidence in the new principal.
“Mrs. Reynolds-Bowman has been a dedicated member of our teaching staff for many years,” Sr. Clara said.
“Her passion for education and her commitment to our students make her the perfect choice to lead Pallotti into the future.”
As the school year progresses, Reynolds-Bowman will work closely with the Pallottine community to ensure a smooth transition and uphold the values and traditions that have made Pallotti High School a respected institution in Belize.
The Pallottine Sisters, who first arrived in Belize in 1913, opened Pallotti High School in 1957 as a home economics institution and have built the all-girls school into a bastion of Roman Catholic education in Belize.
“We were very humble in our beginning with the subjects offered being Food and Nutrition (at the time called Cookery) and Clothing and Textiles (Sewing). Eventually, we became an academic school,” Reynolds-Bowman said, adding the reason why those subjects are maintained.
“We’ll continue with those two subjects and blend in the academia, with the use of technology. Of course, we have this new competency-based learning, which is excellent in terms of skills. So, we expect our students to be competent in specific areas instead of just knowledge-based. When it comes to technology, we don’t want them to fear it; we want them to use technology as a tool to further their knowledge, their education, and help them to solve problems.
“And of course, we can’t forget our spirituality. It’s the core and root of who we are. So, we don’t want to just educate the mind, but also the person. We teach virtues. Our motto is ‘Virtus Nobilitat’ (Virtue Ennobles). We want to instill in our girls the virtues of St. Vincent Pallotti, which are humility, empathy, love, and charity.”
Pallotti High School’s new principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman at PHS Assembly on August 27, 2024 – Photo Credit: Rubén Morales Iglesias:
Reynolds-Bowman holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from the University of Belize and a Certificate in Educational Leadership from Galen University. She plans to complete her Master’s in Educational Leadership at Galen, which now offers the complete program.
Reynolds-Bowman started out as a student at Lloyd Coffin Government Pre-School, went on to St. Martin de Porres RC Primary School, was Valedictorian at Pallotti High School in 2009, and advanced to St. John’s College Junior College, where she majored in Literature and History.
Reynolds-Bowman returned to Pallotti in 2014 as a teacher of English.
“When I came back as a teacher here, I noticed how good this school continued to be and how much the parents and society continued to value Pallotti’s role,” Principal Reynolds-Bowman said.
“We have a good reputation for discipline and developing students who are work-ready. We’ve had that comment several times from businesses that our girls, as they graduate, have employable skills.”
She said her interest in educational leadership developed when she realized that she wanted to give back to the school she ‘came from.’
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Posted: Monday, September 23, 2024. 5:16 pm CST. Pallotti High School’s new principal, Rushawn Reynolds-Bowman – Photo Credit: Rubén Morales Iglesias: By Rubén Morales Iglesias: For the
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