THINK GLOBAL WOMEN


GLOBAL EDUCATION


WORKING TO HELP CHILDREN BECOME THEIR BEST Once again, serendipity played a part in her career path. After spending several years redesigning an alternative school programme and helping many children adjust to the school environment, she left to pursue a PhD. While she was working on her PhD, she started an


anti-bullying programme at her son's school and was able to reduce incidents of bullying by 70 per cent. As a result, she was approached by a parent who asked Angela if she would work with her child who was having learning difficulties in school. The mentoring was successful, and Angela’s reputation spread by word of mouth. Soon many parents were engaging her services to intervene on their child’s behalf in school. Eventually, the school saw how successful Angela’s interventions were, and brought in their own team to help support the children. This left Angela looking for new opportunities. “I was sad to go,” Angela explains, “and they did want to consult with me about how I implemented my programme, but I felt it was time to move on. Their decision gave me the boost to think about my next career steps, and I put all my energies into writing an all-inclusive programme that I could incorporate into a new independent preschool.”


BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR TOMORROW: THE JOURNEY & VISION BEHIND CHATMORE Having taken some time to reflect on her ambitions, in 2001 Angela commenced the journey to opening the doors of her own school. In 2004 with huge support from the community, Angela raised $275,000 to start Chatterbox Preschool which had an emphasis on language development for three-four year olds, and a strong ethos around family and literacy-focused objectives. During that time she experienced a series of events


that were deeply challenging. Angela discovered that many of her ideas had been used to plan the creation of a rival school in the local area, which had secured millions in funding. “As a result, I lost trust in people and the idea of It was a tough time,” she explains.


professional ethics.


“I really had to draw on my faith, resilience and determination to rethink my plans and rebuild my trust.” Undeterred, in 2007 she opened Chattertots, and


then in 2011 she launched Chatmore Preparatory School for boys. The school, now known as Chatmore British International School, is a co-educational school with an inclusive ethos.


A LOVE OF PEOPLE & EDUCATION Angela sees education as more than a formal transmission of knowledge – it is the cornerstone of empowerment, belonging, and potential. Angela’s vision for Chatmore School was to create a learning environment that prioritised


neuroscience-based


mindedness, and a familial sense of belonging. One of the inspirations for setting up Chatmore was her frustration with the existing school system which was not serving her own son well. She had decided to


home school him, after he was criticised by his teachers for “asking too many questions.” This pivotal moment sparked her desire to create a school that values curiosity, embraces diversity in thought, and provides an adaptable framework for all learners. Her son now has a successful career in finance in the UK. “I like to question and to challenge the status quo,”


she explains. “That is the way I look at my students as well. If they are curious and asking questions and challenging the status quo, they are potential leaders.” Chatmore is home to a vibrant community of


learners who reflect both local and global diversity and offers an environment for families arriving in Bermuda to be able to navigate new school routines and the complexities of local culture while still juggling all the details of a relocation. “With international business as a main industry for


Bermuda, we are accustomed to having international families residing in Bermuda,” she says. Angela managed the school through lockdown when


it switched to online learning. Thanks to her training in strategic thinking and policy writing, skills she learnt while working as a policy analyst in the Ministry of Transport, she is helping her daughter, who is now Chatmore’s Director, to plan the future of the school over the next decade.


FAMILY FIRST – ANGELA’S PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL VALUES Angela feels strongly that her passion for education and bringing out the best in children is what drives her life’s purpose. “I look for the sparkle in everybody and in everything,


whether I am mentoring, coaching or taking part in a discussion. This career journey has demanded grit and vision. It has made me stronger, strategic and very insightful,” she says. “I’ve been able to combine motherhood and my


career because I have a mantra of “family first” which I share with my staff and school families. I live by the principle that we all take care of each other. That is the ethos of Chatmore British International School. We are all working towards the same purpose. “I love to be productive, and my


whole career has been aligned with my purpose of being innovative, leading and supporting other people and children become their and to sparkle.”


to best


education, open-


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