Ardenne High School
Ardenne High School is a prominent coeducational, first-to-sixth form secondary school located in St. Andrew, Jamaica. The institution is best known for its high academic standards, among the highest in the Caribbean, and for its achievements in the performing arts and several sports, most notably basketball and netball. The school's principal is Miss Nadine A Molloy. Regarded by some as one of the top secondary institutions in Jamaica, Ardenne High has consistently performed extremely well in examinations regulated by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). Ardenne produced the top performer in the Sciences, Daniel Thomas , in 2004 and Jamar Hamilton, Jamaica's best overall performer in 2009, both in CXC's CSEC examinations. In 2013 Ardenne was pronounced the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) School of the Year for 213 in the region. This award is given for producing the top Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) CAPE student of the year, Dea Thomas. in 2016 Ardenne was again named the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) School of the Year award offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) when Ardenne won the Dennis Irvine Award for producing the top CAPE student - Varna Thomas, Dea's younger sister . Both sisters passed 12 units over the two years of sixth form. The school continues to do well in the 2020 external examinations with 94. 48% of the entries at the CXC CSEC level gaining a pass and 96.8% at the CXC CAPE level gaining a pass. The quality of passes has shown a 5% improvement over the last five years. Of the 302 students in 2020  293 or 96.3% achieved a pass in Mathematics  301 or 99.6% achieved a pass in English Of the 302 students in 2020  293 or 97% achieved passes in 5 or  more subjects with Mathematics and/or English  208 or 69% achieved passes in 8 or more subjects with Mathematics and /or English The school has won Television Jamaica's Schools Challenge Quiz competition seven times, in 1973, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2013, 2015 and 2020 ahead of Calabar High School, Wolmer's Boys School and Munro College with five wins and trailing Kingston College with eleven wins. Between 2000 and 2008, Ardenne's basketball team won a total of fifteen championships. They were one girls championship in 2001, three conference championships (under 14), four national championships (under 14), four league championships  (under 16), two national championships (under 16) and one league championship (under 19). The Cricket teams have shown significant progress moving from a B league team to an A League team since 2015. The school has also has become competitive in table tennis winning a title each year since 2015 when they took home the Girls Under 16 trophy. Ardenne High School is proud of its performing arts groups of students whose performance is outstanding. The group is responsible for the annually acclaimed Christmas pageant, tree lighting ceremony and fireworks show. This production can involve as many as six hundred  students, teachers and coaches. Ardenne High School has copped the prestigious Marcus Garvey Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts for a 9 consecutive years since 2013. COVID-19 On March 12, 2021 when schools closed in Jamaica owning the pandemic, Ardenne was able to transition to teaching in the virtual space. This was possible because of the extensive investment in technology infrastructure and teacher/staff capacity building that the school had engaged in for the previous three years. The school had also just rolled out a Bring Your Own Device policy (BYOD) that required students to own and take to  school, for teaching, learning and assessment purposes, a Chromebook. The school has remained online with limited in-person classes since the pandemic began reaching from 88-100% of the students including administering full two paper exams remotely. This pivoting has received strong support from all stakeholders, notably the alumni who has provided a number of devices and other support. History. In 1907, just after the great earthquake that destroyed much of Kingston, the Rev. George and Nellie Olson came to Jamaica as Church of God missionaries from Anderson, Indiana in the United States, where the Church of God has its  headquarters. In 1927, they began the first school at High Holborn Street in Kingston with an enrollment of five students including the Olson's daughter Mary Olson. In 1929 the Ardenne property of 12 acres was purchased through funds received from the Missionary Board of the Church of God in the U.S. and other private donors. The main block of buildings was erected. However, it was not until January 1938 that the school was transferred to its present location. Nellie Olson, the first principal, held office until 1944 when she was succeeded by her daughter Mary Olson. Mary Olson served  as principal through most of the schools formative years until 1969 when E.M. Claire Gayle, who had previously served as vice principal, succeeded her. Gayle was succeeded by the fourth principal, Roy J. Ebanks in 1979. When he retired in 1996, Winston Roberts became the fifth principal after serving as vice principal from 1979. During the interim May 1998 to December 1999, as a result of Roberts' illness and ultimate death, Erma J. Hutton served as acting principal. Esther Tyson assumed responsibility as the sixth principal in January 2000, until September 2011. The Reverend Claude Ellis served as acting principal  until Miss Nadine A Molloy, past president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, was appointed the school's seventh principal in September 2012. School Song. School Song: (written by Vincent Kelly, alumnus) Ye valiant youth arise, And join life's glorious fray, With God as guide, He will provide strength to conquer day to day. In hallowed hall or field, We'll strive but never yield; We will fight with our might, Undefeated be the conflict mild or heated: Brave and strong, shunning wrong we will march along To the future's brighter ray. With loyalty and pride, We'll shield  our noble name, What'er assail it shall ne’er prevail, we'll conquer just the same: With banner high, unfurled, A symbol to the world Of the zeal that we feel in pursuing what we’re doing, ever viewing The bright crest of the best That will crown our quest, And fan Ardenne's glorious flame. Achievements. Winner of 2020 School challenge quiz competition against St. Jago High School Creating history with 7 titles