The Discovery Bay High School is a STEM ACADEMY. The acronym STEM stands for (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The STEM Curriculum blends all these subjects in the teaching and learning experience in order to provide our students with 21st century skills and certification for industry and the global workforce.
Our curriculum also emphasizes spiritual tenets, ethics, values and morals, and programmes that facilitate character development and a commitment to service, tolerance and respect for each other.
The Discovery Bay High School (STEM ACADEMY) is committed to the education of the whole person by developing the intellectual, social, personal, vocational, spiritual, moral and physical dimensions.
The Discovery Bay High School (STEM ACADEMY) has a strong support team that provides a nurturing and supportive learning environment to our students to assist in the attainment of their stated academic and co-curricular objectives.
Our curriculum is delivered with the support of our stakeholders including the Ministry of Education, Board, Parents, Community Groups, NGOs, Donor Agencies et cetera.
Strong instructional leadership is provided by our School’s Administration with the support of our teachers who are highly trained and committed to the development of all our students.
Discovery Bay High (STEM ACADEMY) is part of the Discovery Bay Group of Schools sharing the facilities with the Primary and Infant School. The school continues to grow and upgrade the facilities to deliver a STEM/STEAM curriculum up to Grade 13. The school boasts state of the art ICT, Human Ecology and Science laboratories that cater to the 21st century learning needs of our students.
Plans to establish the Discovery Bay High School started from as early as 2001. Construction works for the school started in August 2007 but the project was aborted soon after starting because of environmental concerns. This decision was a source of disappointment to the citizens of Discovery Bay.
In 2018, a visit by Minister of Education, Senator the Honourable Ruel Reid, Chief Education Officer Dr. Grace Mclean, and other officials from the Ministry of Education to the Discovery Bay All Age School re-opened the discussions about the need for another high school in St. Ann to create additional spaces for secondary students. An eight-classroom block that was constructed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund to take the All Age School off the shift system caught the attention of the team. They felt that Discovery Bay All Age campus could also accommodate a high school.
Preliminary discussions were conducted by a team from Ministry of Education led by Dr. Grace Mclean, and the Board of Management of the Discovery Bay All Age to gradually transition the primary school into a high school. Consultations with the community by the Discovery Bay High Steering Committee revealed that the citizens of Discovery Bay wanted a high school but they were not prepared to lose the primary school. A proposal was presented to the Ministry of Education by the Consultation Committee for a Discovery Bay Group of Schools to include an Infant, Primary and High School. This proposal was accepted by the community and the Ministry of Education.
Renovation works for the project started in April 2019 and like the first Discovery Bay High, the project was also aborted soon after. However, destiny was on the side of the citizens of Discovery Bay the second time around. The project was re-started by the Ministry of Education in July 2019. Work continued through the summer holidays with the Ministry of Education and the Discovery Bay High Steering throwing its all into the renovation works for school to be ready for September 2, 2019.
The Discovery Bay High School (STEM ACADEMY) was opened for classes on September 2. 2019 with 12 teachers (including the principal Mr. Dwayne Mulgrave and 70 students. Mr. Mulgrave was unable to operate fully as the principal until September 16, 2019 hence the Regional Director at the time, Mrs. Sophia Forbes Hall, assigned Mrs. Millicent DaCosta to give oversight to the school until the principal took office.