"Taste the Nations" from a Student’s Perspective

“Taste the Nations” preparation begins months before the event. The grades choose a country to represent in a dance- these almost always tie in with end session or some other event that has inspired us during the year. For example, the seventh grade represented Iceland, which is a travel option during end session this year. They then go to work practicing and perfectecting the dance. “For two months, we rehearsed every Tuesday for two hours. As ‘Taste the Nations’ drew closer, we rehearsed a few Thursdays as well.” said a grade seven student. “Not only is there the dance practice, but the writing and rehearsing of the introduction speech.”

It’s a lot of work, but we, the students, recognize the importance of it. Firstly, it is for a grade. Secondly, we care about our school, and so we do our best to represent it. Not only do we care about our school, but the opportunities of the people in it. The money raised from “ Taste the Nations” goes toward end session scholarships- because the end session traveling options cost a lot, the school makes an effort to have all the students travel once throughout their period at school. It is an amazing experience- one every student deserves to try.

Dr. Xuri Maurice Allen visits DP Program

Dr. Xuri Maurice Allen visited our Diploma Program students during College Seminar this week.  Dr. Allen (current VIMSIA parent) has over 20 years of experience in higher education and has served as the Director of Recruitment and Admissions at the University of the Virgin Islands.  He spoke to our students about the transition to college and preparing for the college application process.  Thank you for supporting our students, Dr. Allen!  For more information or ways to get involved please contact Kara Ebe at kebe@vimsia.org

DP Art Class Visits Tony Romano's Studio

Thank you Tony!

Talia Feshbach Named National Merit Scholarship Finalist

Talia Feshbach, a senior at VI Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy, has been named a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.  Last fall, Talia's PSAT score qualified her as a semi-finalist out of 1,600,000 test takers.  She was recently named as one of 15,000 finalists and hopes to be one of 7,500 students nationwide to receive a scholarship. Finalists will be notified in March if they are scholarship winners.  Congratulations Talia!  

African Drumming

In honor of black history month Ms. Bolinger's primary class learned about African drums! Check out this impromptu moment with Jacob Mills and Ali Baynes singing and drumming to "I Like to Eat Apples and Bananas.”

Indirect Measurement Exploration

The 9th grade MYP math class, under the direction of Mr. Gribble, went out to explore campus on Thursday to investigate indirect measurement. Education for Life!

Axel Bartsch 2019 Youth Model Award Winner

Congratulations to senior Axel Bartsch for winning the 2019 Youth Role Model Award presented by the University Bound Program. The award is given to a Diploma Programme senior who has maintained a minimum 3.5 GPA, has displayed leadership qualities, excelled in music or athletics, is active in their church or community and plans to attend a post-secondary institution after graduation. Congratulations!

PGIA Honor Students Announced

Congratulations to all of the students who ended semester 1 on Academic Honors!  

These are students who have earned an IB 6-7 average in their core IB classes. The list of students is attached, and will be hung around campus. Your hard work and diligence has paid off.  Nice work!

Honor students were awarded Honors Certificates.

DP Global Politics

On Friday, December 7, 2019, the grade 11 and 12 DP Global Politics class welcomed Mr. Michael Feshbach. Mr. Feshbach taught a lesson on parliamentary systems. He spoke in depth on the unicameral national legislature of Israel, the Knesset. He discussed how governmental parties have to work together in order to accomplish goals. He also spoke in broad terms on the role of how parties of any government should listen and respect different views and opinions and still be able to work together to come to agreements that benefit everyone.

The Gift of Reading

During the morning one of our little friends was looking through our "readers" (books not in our library corner). I suggested she find an available older friend to read to her. Two great things happened:

1. the younger child got her hands on work she is not ready for yet.

2. the older child gets to solidify her reading knowledge by reading to a friend.

VIMSIA Participated in Mathematical Association of America

This week four 8th grade students participated in the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) American Mathematics Competition (AMC). Students sat for a 40 minute very challenging test. Tests will be sent off to be scored by the MAA. Congratulations for participating to Zack Edwards, Joaquin Hawkes, Lennon Richman, and Andy Yu. We hope to receive score reports by mid-December. If this is, feel free to change the wording as needed.

ANAPIA BRUNT INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE LEARNER PROFILE AWARD WINNER

AnaPia Brunt

International Baccalaureate Learner Profile Award Winner

Every other month, Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) gives out the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile Award to a high school  student who best embodies the traits of the IB Learner Profile: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. Nominations are led by students and staff, and finalized with an Peter Gruber International Academy teacher vote. This month's winner is AnaPia Brunt!

“AnaPia is a motivated, fun-loving, kind and creative young lady. She embodies all of the learner profile traits in her actions and words. It is inspiring to see her challenge herself in her artwork and find success in meeting her goals. Simply put, it's a joy to see her each day with her bubbly attitude and contagious smile. Keep on smiling AnaPia, you make our campus abetter place!” -Ms. Ferguson, PGIA Arts Coordinator

“Over the past year AnaPia has shown tremendous growth. She meticulously uses a variety of successful strategies to improve herself in many different areas. She has a kind heart and is always willing to help out. Congratulations AnaPia, you deserve this award!” –Mr. Stocking

“AnaPia is a terrific balance of many great qualities.  She is can easily go between supporting her own needs and the needs of others.  She is determined, yet knows when to take a break.  She knows when to push herself and also when to cut herself some slack.  She advocated for her needs and seeks additional advice when needed.  She has high goals for herself and is motivated to reach them with effort and persistence.  Keep shining!” –Ms. Butler

“AnaPia has shown proficiency in her studies and communication skills. She is a leader in class and has taken noticeable strides to help others at all times. Congratulations!” –Ms. Kessler

“AnaPia is a joy to teach. She is a role model for her peers, always going above and beyond class expectations to achieve her goals. She is kind and considerate to everyone around her. She is more than deserving of this award!” –Ms. Truax

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with AnaPia as her coach/nurse throughout the years. She is a perfect example of all the Learner Profile traits.  Her caring, thinking and open-minded ways are always welcomed when I’m around her.  Congratulations AnaPia, you deserve this!” –Coach Nurse

“AnaPia is an inspiration to other students to be warm-hearted, zealous, analytical and reflective. I am very proud to be her teacher.” –Ms. Ventura

“AnaPia is always kind and there for everyone. She is funny and supportive, and she finds time in her scholarly life to do sports successfully, and spend time with other people. She’s very successful in school and she’s curious about life. AnaPia is one of the most amazing people I know.” –Fellow PGIA Classmate

Libary Catalog "Collections" Feature - Great Resources

VIMSIA Library Catalog - “Collections” page

Ms. Schlesinger has been working with a great new tool provided within our School Library Cataloging system (Destiny). Please click on the image above to check out this “collections” feature. It allows us to pull just about any kind of information (books, weblinks, articles, ebooks, pdf’s, etc) into one very easily accessible area.

Visit the College Resources Collection for all things college for VIMSIA. Great reference books for researching colleges, access to our own online tools like Naviance and Method Test Prep, tips and articles for SAT and ACT prep and more. Thanks Ms. Schlesinger and Ms. Ebe for their hard work on this.

All things Montessori Parent Education - Yep, we’ve pulled together great information to help you research what Montessori is all about.

Children’s books for your island child - visit the Virgin Islands Books for Children collection. With her many years of experience here and at Dockside, Ms. Schlesinger has a great grasp on books for our children that reflect their island roots.

…and so many more!!!

Destiny - VIMSIA Library Catalog

The VIMSIA Library Catalog got a facelift as well - please visit it! If you want to find VIMSIA Library catalog on your phone, download the app - Destiny Discover.

Pre-DP Dance with Ms. Helen

Here is just a taste of some of the cool things going on in Ms. Helen’s Pre-DP Arts Elective Class. 24 9th & 10th graders meet twice a week to shake, rattle, roll and apparently “flip”. Can’t wait to see them perform!

Highlights Wednesday Movement Class

Grades 7-10 PGIA Wednesday Movement Elective Class participated in teamwork activities, strength building, trust & confidence development. Coach DeGannes and Helen Sidiropoulos also partook and demonstrated.

Gardening in Enrichment

From Pierre-James, Gardening Enrichment: We first added some shade, to protect the plants from the hot noon sun. When cleaning up the old pots, we found one with a bunch of little papaya trees, we transplanted each one to separate pots, they are doing great. So far none of the seeds we got from Home depot have sprouted - a little disappointing. We sowed basil, cherry tomatoes and Spinach. Luckily Martin gave us some mystery seeds from Dominica, they have sprouted nicely and we transplanted them yesterday. Yesterday everyone also received a baby basil that they took home to watch grow and care for. We have also sowed some passion fruit seeds, lettuce, arugula, bell peppers and dill. Next week will try our luck with corn as well.

Talia Feshbach Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Talia Feshbach, a senior at Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA), has been named as a Semifinalist in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program!  This is a result of her performance on the 2017 PSAT. Talia is one of 16,000 semifinalists who qualified out of approximately 1.6 million test takers nationwide. There is an extensive application process that she will go through this fall.  Students are notified until February if they are a finalist. Our 10th and 11th grade students will take the PSAT October 24, 2018. Good luck Talia and PGIA students!

Art Extravaganza

Ms. Morrison's class had an Art Extravaganza this last Tuesday. Students spent the day working to their hearts content with soft pastels, watercolors, acrylics, calligraphy work, creating mandalas, macrame and making clay! 

41st Annual Montessori Graduation

“Montessori is an education for independence, preparing not just for school but for life” - Maria Montessori  

Riddhi N. Atmaramani, Kinze Simuel Brown, Cassidy Alexis Caines, Gavin P. Johnson, Brianna Joan Jordan, Joniah J. Julien, Divina M. Kamra, Matthew Harold, Dietrich Meyer, Leah Mitzi Parker, Selena Grace Webster, Amelie Kiera Zucker

Twelve sixth year Montessori students walked the stage and graduated from Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy’s (VIMSIA) accredited Montessori Program. Graduating from one of only two available Montessori schools in the US Virgin Islands is a game-changer for these students and a life decision supported by their friends and family. VIMSIA’s graduation included remarks from keynote speaker, Brad Wilson, CEO of Brad’s Deals LLC, current parent and member of the VIMSIA board of trustees.

Montessori Director, Norma Bollinger opened the 41st annual graduation ceremony by welcoming twelve eager graduates ready to take on life and move up to VIMSIA’s International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program next fall. There have been over six-hundred Montessori graduates in St. Thomas since the school was established in 1964. Bollinger explained that a noted difference between a Montessori graduate and one that graduates from traditional school is their “love for learning, our children from the minute they begin in a Montessori program are motivated through intrinsic motivation.”

The ceremony included speeches from both Upper Elementary Montessori Directresses Caroline Morrison and Kate Ludick. Morrison highlighted how important the role of the teacher is stating “Dr. Maria Montessori believed that it is the role of the teacher to walk alongside you, challenging your imagination whenever possible to help you see through the obstacles in the way.” Ludick was thrilled to see such a beautiful ceremony to mark the end of another successful school year. “The children now are going into the third plane of development and becoming adolescents. It was a very positive way to end the year for them and do something special, because they gave us –the teachers- hope” said Ludick.

Successful entrepreneur Brad Wilson –also a Montessori graduate- took the opportunity to share with the graduates three things he wished he knew as a teenager, during his keynote address. “First, be aware of your life and if it’s one of inertia or activity” commented Wilson, commending the Montessori graduates for already living a life of activity by choosing a Montessori education. “Second have a practical framework for success and lastly be open to your instincts and the wisdom of your unconscious mind” stated Wilson. He stressed how “the importance of independence, curiosity and discovery will only grow in the future.”

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics there are 132,656 schools in the US (2008 numbers), 4,000 of them are Montessori Accredited schools with only two located in the US Virgin Islands.  

Greek Mythology

The Upper Elementary class put on a dynamic presentation on Greek Mythology featuring gods and goddesses today for the Lower Elementary Students! Under the direction of Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy Upper Elementary Teacher, Kate Ludick, students prepared facts to present, dressed up in costume displaying key signature pieces and performed a group dance with audience participation! The event concluded with questions and answers from both parents and students!