Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Wolmer's Girls' School principal, Colleen Montague.

Avia Collinder, Outlook Writer

Colleen Montague is the youthful principal of Wolmer's Girls' School who, nevertheless, appears to have spent a lifetime at the school. She is the first Wolmerian to fill the post of principal.

Once garbed in the sky-blue tunic and white blouse of the school herself, she asserts: "I come with a fresh view, having had the student experience.

"There is nothing the girls will do that I do not know. I know their hang-out spots. I understand the conversation."

Colleen Montague is a disciplinarian who has been known to appear on buses as far away as Harbour View and Spanish Town to observe the behaviour of her students, and patrols the vicinity of Cross Roads after school, for the same reason.

On the school campus itself, at 7:40 every morning, with the ringing of the second bell, everyone and everything on the campus come to a standstill wherever they are and whatever they are doing.

It is a dramatic moment in the daily life of the school. While the National Anthem plays, students, parents and staff alike assume the position as they give homage during the prayerful song.

"We introduced it to bring order to the school at the start of the day, and also to encourage respect for heritage, school and country," the principal explains. "It is also the prayer that starts the day. It really has made a difference."

She states, "Discipline and excellence go hand in hand. In developing the moral character, you will usually be successful academically. I have never met a child who is a successful academically who is not disciplined."

Work at Wolmer's is challenging, and she says, "I understand why older principals would assume the demands of the job."

Colleen Montague has a young family, with daughters aged five and 12. Having started out 15 years ago teaching English and sociology, promoted to senior teacher and then coordinator, vice-principal and then principal, she now juggles her administrative obligations with that of looking after rearing the girls.

Fortunately, she has the help of Mom, who still marvels at the transformation in the grown Colleen.

Today, the principal is described by her mother, Vivel Beckford, as "a disciplined person with a passion for education. She wants you to learn, to have more so that you can help yourself. If you crave those two things, you will be in her good books."

Mrs. Beckford would have loved to be able to say the same things about her daughter when she was a tenth grader at Wolmer's two decades ago, but she could not.

Instead, Colleen was so laid-back that even some of her teachers began to ignore her and label her as an underperformer.

Selection of subjects

Her mother recalls, "When she was in fourth form and we had to make a choice for subjects, some of the grades were not very good. When I went to have the selection of subjects, the form teacher ignored me completely.

"She left me for last. I actually had to go to her and she said - she (Colleen) can choose any subject she wants. I cried all the way from Wolmer's to Duhaney Park, where we were then living."

It was her mother's tears which finally galvanised Colleen into changing her attitude to school.

Her mother remembers, "We had a talk. I said to her, 'look at what you are doing'. I know that was the turning point."

Colleen began to study and work hard, her mother recalls, as she strived to "prove to the teacher that she would not be leaving Wolmer's with nothing in her hand. She started to be dedicated and started to improve on her grades."

Colleen remembers, "I reached a crossroads in my life in fourth form. I was tired of seeing my mother crying because of continued disappointment with my failing grades. I, too, was disappointed but did not know what to do. My mother, however, never gave up on me.

"She kept encouraging me and doing all she could within her power to make sure I realised my true potential. I got my light bulb moment and really started valuing the merit of hard work and study."

Colleen also fell under the influence of English teacher, Jessie Shirley. "She constantly motivated us to work hard and to study, which I was not doing up to that point."

Private miracle

Today, Colleen Montague still marvels at her own private miracle, and admits that this experience has been a permanent source of motivation.

After leaving Wolmer's, Colleen attended Moneague Teachers' College and then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, literature and social science, at the University of the West Indies between 1987 and 1991.

Later, she completed the Master of Science - educational leadership, at Central Connecticut State University, USA.

The principal and mother of two leads an active life. She is an executive member of the Inter-Secondary School Association (ISSA) and the Wolmer's Old Girls' Association. She has worked as Chairman of the ISSA Swimming, Hockey and Tennis competitions, and as a Sunday school superintendent.

On weekends and holidays she enjoys reading, dancing, interior decorating and travelling with her immediate family and parents. Married to Allan Montague, her two daughters, Chelsea and Sydnie, benefit equally from the love and attention of parents and their grandparents, Fitzroy and Vivel Beckford.

Colleen Montague states, "I certainly cannot change the entire Jamaica. However, I can effect changes and influence the lives of the people in the small piece for which I have responsibility. My role as principal is a work in progress. I value the role that everymember of staff and student play in the development of this school."

Treasures her own experience

She treasures her own experience as a young Wolmerian and reflects, "I was involved in every sport. I learnt to swim here in the 'frog pond'. I developed my team spirit here. I also found lifelong friends.

"It was here that we were encouraged to be the best that we could be."

When she patrols the streets in search of her students, she is never discouraged.

"I am on a mission - a mission to ensure that every girl maximises her potential. If I can't personally touch that girl, some other member of staff has the will and capacity to do so. The average child must understand that she, too, can accomplish great things through effort and faith in God."