The Sprung Building has arrived on campus and is being built rapidly. This state-of-the-art building will replace the Hibiscus Trailer as our air conditioned dance space.
The beginning of the assembly of the Sprung Building. (August 2019 Matthew Enright)
This week Ms. Boyle's class community got to enjoy a sweet treat together. They have been caring for their pineapple plant all year long, and it ripened at just the right time. Picked and eaten before the summer break!
Michael Bornn, Head of School
VIMSIA’s focus is to raise the bar of education in the Virgin Islands via individual student learning. As one functions at VIMSIA, one should always ask yourself: “What is the impact on student learning?” Everything else falls into place after that.
We have repaired most of the hurricane damaged facilities. We are embarking on a major construction effort of five facilities: BEC, La Casa, Art Trailer, Dance Trailer and Weight Room. They will rebuilt over the next several years. The first building will be starting this summer. All these facilities will be constructed to a higher standard than the original facilities.
Our graduates continue to be accepted in their first choice schools with significant amounts of financial aid to enable attendance. Our graduates are well prepared for college. Several have gone on to excel at graduate programs; others have commenced highly gainful and exciting employment.
For a school with only ten years of graduating classes, the successes of our graduates are very impressive. The IB program prepares our graduates for college. Our graduates have achieved. They are achieving. And they make us proud. They prove our school is meeting the challenge of quality education.
VIMSIA will continue to improve in areas of math performance, acquisition of languages, writing skills, classroom management, self-discipline, intrinsic curiosity, collaboration and developing the love of learning. We attempt to reach every child at our school.
Art, music, dance and theater offerings will continue on their growth path. Speech will also be added as an elective next year. Swimming, sailing and tennis offerings are being developed for next year as well.
VIMSIA seeks to educate a diversified student body and our families is reflective of the world at large. We are indeed proud that our teachers have taught in over 70 countries as well as the Virgin Islands. International travel and interactions are a foundation of our school.
Expanding the Montessori Method to reach every child in the VI is indeed a goal. Early childhood education is critically important and the Montessori Method has been proven to be a leading pedagogy in early childhood education. On island Montessori training for staff and parents will commence this coming school year.
VIMSIA now has an endowment to help ensure we have a financial cushion to help mitigate future disasters and more importantly to fund the pursuit of excellence in perpetuity. Raising money to grow the fund is a priority.
The campus is 100% solar energized. A portion of the campus is operating on an off-grid basis with storage batteries and generator back-up. We are in the process of installing additional storage capacity to take the whole campus off grid. The cost savings of this sustainable program goes directly to improve student learning.
To further enhance teacher recruitment and retention, we are embarking on two offerings. First, a fleet of electric cars has been donated to the school. They will be available for lease to teachers desiring an electric car. The cars can be charged at our solar powered electric car charging station free of charge, with an estimated annual fuel savings to each teacher of approximately $2,400.
Secondly, we have acquired a two-unit house on Vessup Lane so we will be able to provide affordable housing for our staff close to school. This housing program is a long-term initiative with the goal of acquiring several houses in the area over many years. The vehicle and housing alternatives are purely optional for staff. Providing transportation and housing for faculty is a step in the direction of improving the quality of life for staff, which in turn improves student learning.
We are working on a proposal to have the concession stand open daily for students and staff to be able to purchase items from a student-run venture. Such will also incorporate existing student fund raising efforts of selling pizza weekly.
None of our achievements and goals would be possible without the amazing support of our staff, students, parents and donors.
Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) representatives were on campus Wednesday to meet with Head of School Michael Bornn about expanding Montessori Education in the Virgin Islands and off grid renewable energy systems. Mr. Bornn also attended the CGI conference at the University of the Virgin Islands earlier this week. We are hoping to gain CGI’s support in our efforts on each of these fronts.
Former President Bill clinton speaks at cgi conference at uvi
Ms. Helen's 16th Annual Spring Magic Performing Arts Production was another success! This year Ms. Helen's dance classes were joined by Ms. Mary's tap & jazz & Ms. Mary Christensen's musical theater class. Vocalists and a magician also joined in on the program. The performers were remarkable!! VIMSIA has so much talent.
The FBI's Evidence Response Team (ERT) visited VIMSIA this week! The ERT was on island doing a variety of community outreach and training sessions. PGIA students learned about countless opportunities to learn and grow as a part of the FBI as well as participated in simulated activities involving forensic science and crime scene investigation. Our on campus end session groups found ways to apply this presentation to computer science, up-cycling, sports science and more!
It has been so fun to hear what our students are saying about Teacher Appreciation - take a look!
““It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.””
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we all know that our VIMSIA teachers are the best! Please comment with your favorite teacher quotes or stories.
With the updates to VIMSIA’s solar energy “plant”, VIMSIA will be in a position to overproduce energy for the school’s needs in the coming years. By purchasing electric vehicles, that we can lease back to our teachers, we can take advantage of that surplus by providing it to our staff for their leased electric vehicles. What a great way to provide economic enhancements to our staff and make living on St. Thomas more viable and sustainable. If you have an interest in an electric car please reach out to Mr. Bornn.
Recycling ambassadors Lexi and Sofie from Ms. Satter's class show off the recycling that has been collected in Elementary classrooms over the last couple of weeks. All elementary classrooms are now recycling plastics that are dropped off at Plaza Extra on Saturdays!
Put up that VI sign! Here is a picture of our amazing addition to our VIMISIA family on their way to Coral World & Coki. Spaniards go to Coral Wordl
need to add picture
Alick Letang, Admissions Director of Randolph College, spoke to our DP1 students during college seminar this week! Originally from the Virgin Islands, Mr. Letang has over 20 years of admissions and enrollment management experience. He shared many insights with students including keeping an open mind during the college search, the importance of academic success and always looking for ways to create options for the future. Thank you for supporting our students Mr. Letang!
Congratulations VI Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy for winning the Daily News best After School Activities Program award voted by readers! #best #ThanksDailyNews #qualityprograms #afterschoolfun
Two years ago the local USVI Privateers Rugby Club teamed up with our school in an effort to be involved with the community and grow the sport of rugby. At the time we welcomed a few college teams in our PE classes. This year we were excited to welcome back the Babson United Rugby Club from Babson College, located in Boston. The students had an awesome time running drills and playing fun rugby games with the players! Thanks to Coach Carrick Pell and the Babson team!
The Babson Rugby team visited our school this past week. They led our students through a fun PE full of rugby drills and a game at the end, one which included all of the students and Babson team members! Thank you so much to the Babson Rugby team for sharing their knowledge and rugby skills with us!
In our effort to spread kindness and love, VIMSIA PTA is focusing this year on a Kindness Campaign “Cool to be Kind”. Under PTA’s mentorship, the students have created a kindness tree. Each of these leaves is a piece of paper belonging to a student, on which they drew a picture or wrote something that they think demonstrates and expresses kindness. “ Every time I pass the kindness tree, it makes me feel happy. It also makes me glad that I go to Montessori.” said a student. Here are a few examples on the leaves; some say a good deed they had done, such as “ I picked up the trash at the beach on Sunday”, or a good deed you could do “ Compliment the first three people you see today”. Others say encouraging things such as “ One smile can change everything. BE KIND” or simple words such as “ Love”.
Bri Kozior, a finalist on the popular cooking show MasterChef , visited our school this past month. Here to visit long-time family friends Pam Engle (our very own Advancement Director) and her family, Chef Kozior kindly agreed to visit our school and talk to the students about pursuing their dreams.
Bri Kozior, MasterChef finalist
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
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Out of chaos comes opportunity.
The Story of the Lights:
VIMSIA's soccer field is now lit with LED lights. Thus the electricity consumption is nominal. The poles supporting the lights are discarded utility poles from the hurricanes...recycled poles.
And that’s not all this very “GREEN” field has to boast about:
The retaining wall and seats on the south side of the field are built from discarded poles from the hurricanes...recycled materials;
The poles and lights were installed by Haugland Energy... donated labor;
The field is watered with water captured in our road run-off collection system. The system not only waters the field but reduces the road run-off into the ocean from surrounding roads...an environmental system helping to preserve ocean quality;
The pump system and lighting are powered by our solar system and battery storage system, (off grid system)...no energy payments to WAPA.
Pit fall: the lawn mower used to mow the field is gas powered.
But, maybe we can fix that, too. CAS hours anyone?
Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy - a Montessori and International Baccalaureate Toddler through grade twelve private school in the beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands. Ask for Admissions 340-775-6360.
VIMSIA 6936 Vessup Lane, St. Thomas USVI 00802 info@vimsia.org Phone: 340.775.6360 Maps and Directions Staff Portal
