Planning is how Kalmar Richards, the new principal of CedarBridge Academy, is spending her summer.

And Mrs. Richards told The Royal Gazette she is setting lofty goals for the entire school even before it opens for its second year this September.

With an eye towards raising standards for both students and staff, Mrs.

Richards is putting in long hours now producing a student handbook, a staff handbook, special workshops and training courses for teachers, heightened security, expanding the involvement of parents and organising special school liaisons.

"I'm planning for the entire year right now. All staff will know what's happening and what they are required to do.'' "I have great expectations for staff as they buy into the idea that we must achieve standards of excellence here at CedarBridge,'' she said. " and I am going to be making a lot of demands on them.'' "We're dealing with lives here,'' she continued, "millions of dollars have been invested in this school and we have a responsibility to ensure that it becomes the first choice for student development.

"We must develop a reputation of excellence and I will be diligent in everything we do here, to see to it that standards are increased.'' Mrs. Richards feels that a revamped student handbook which clearly lays out standards of behaviour at the school, will help in this regard.

"The student handbook, we feel, must be in place in order for us to achieve our goals.'' she claimed.

Noting that student behaviour and morale have greatly improved since Cedarbridge first opened, Mrs. Richards said "I am very serious about behaviour, I'm not expecting any type of nonsense, no street behaviour at CedarBridge Academy. This is an academic institution, a place of learning.'' More participation from parents will be expected from the new principal as well, she said: "I want parents to read through the handbook with their children and there will be a form they will have to fill out stating that they support the rules.'' "I will be expanding the involvement of parents.'' Mrs. Richards said. "We will have regular information sessions in addition to parent-teacher nights.

"Parents must plan for the success of their children it doesn't just happen here at the school.'' she continued, "I expect to see a great deal of parents, not just on invitation but by them making appointments to sit in on classrooms.

"If they are genuinely interested in the child's development, they will make a point to be here.'' she said.

Students and parents are not the only ones who will know what is expected of them. In its final stages, the staff handbook, according to Mrs. Richards, "is comprehensive and specific and lays out accountability clearly''.

With a move to start assessing children based on their performance, Mrs.

Richards noted that teachers are getting special training: "We are broadening the scope of assessment as we make a paradigm shift to performance-based assessment.'' she said.

Committed to raising the overall standards of the school Mrs. Richards said she will be "raising the bar for teachers, students and parents.'' "Then every year we're going to notch it up. It can and will happen.'' she added.

Admitting that it may take close to five years before CedarBridge is the first rate institution she aims to make it, Mrs. Richards is still adamant that people should not hesitate to send their children there.

"I would encourage parents to send their children here now.'' she said. "We have a great deal to offer and although our pass mark is 60 percent, we are telling our students that 80 percent and over is an indication of mastery.'' "We offer such a diversity of programmes; academic and in the arts and while we do need more personal advancement courses, the selection is more extensive than any other school on the island.'' she said.

Pointing out the facilities and equipment at CedarBridge are top rate, Mrs.

Richards said a visit to the school's personal care class "is no different than being in a beauty salon in Hamilton''.

"We've got everything we need to adequately prepare them for when they leave.'' she said.

Individual student attention is another priority and Mrs. Richards said she knows most all the students personally: "I go into the classrooms, it is my love and my joy.'' she said.

Feedback is key in her management style and she offers it not only to teachers but to students and parents as well.

"If I see a student in the hallway and they look smart, I tell them `that's wonderful. That is just how a CedarBridge student should look', and they feel good too,'' she said.

And feeling good about CedarBridge is the name of the game.

New blood: Incoming Cedarbridge principal Kalmar Richards