An expanded work experience programme and a hall of achievement highlighting alumni success stories are among the proposals for the coming year.And Mr Francis yesterday vowed that 85 percent of the class of 2014 would graduate with honours as a result.“Changing the mindset in the community about CedarBridge has to start inside,” he insisted.The school hadn’t shared “the complete story” with people not connected to it, Mr Francis said.And he stated that negative press generated about the school was “partly” its own fault.“We have great things going on here and we haven’t said anything about it,” he said.CedarBridge was opened in 1997 as Bermuda’s first custom-built senior secondary school.According to Mr Francis, it was immediately challenged by “being the youngest on the block”.“Berkeley, Warwick Academy and TN Tatem all have history — we’re creating our history right now,” he explained.According to Mr Francis, CedarBridge was the maligned “mega school” from its start, and has struggled to escape that narrative.“When students hear a lot of negativity about their school, it has an impact. Now we’re looking at the implementation of different standards and telling that side of the story.”Many people failed to appreciate that as a comprehensive school, CedarBridge “takes everybody”, he stated.“Yes, some students have issues. Because we have not engaged with them, somebody else has.”The board’s priority was to improve students potential, he said. Honour level grades start at 80 percent, Mr Francis aims to have a school average of 85 percent.“[We want to] get our students talking about being 85 percent grade students, and teachers talking about teaching to an 85 percent level.“That then attracts industry, mentors, internships and scholarships.”CedarBridge already has an automotive plant, he pointed out. In boosting the technical education, the school wants to add a carpentry mill and a culinary arts centre.“We want students to want to come here and teachers that want to teach here, and a culinary arts programme that has all the hotels and restaurants coming to CedarBridge Academy to get their chefs here,” Mr Francis said.The chairman described his job at the head of a 13-strong board as “visionary leadership for the executive management of the facility”.“CedarBridge is not just an educational facility. It’s also a $6 million business that has to be run efficiently,” he stated.The appointment normally runs for one year. Mr Francis, who campaigned for the One Bermuda Alliance alongside now Education Minister Nalton Brangman, has no definite limit in mind.He labelled a parting initiative from the Progressive Labour Party administration as “excellent”. Mr Francis hopes to expand the Career Pathways work experience programme for Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge students. The school is in discussions with the Bermuda Insurance Institute in hopes of offering accounting and underwriting classes.“But everything has to be done to international standards,” he said. “The goal is to get a certificate that’s worth something outside Bermuda.”Mr Francis said one of his top goals was to expose the school’s 618 students to “the successes they could have” in industries where qualified young Bermudians are in demand.The school is also completing a survey to determine what students want to learn and hopes to offer an annual college and industries fair, starting this August.