UVI Coastweeks Researchers Come to VIMSIA

Coastweeks is a nationwide effort coordinated by The Ocean Conservancy. Last Thursday two UVI Researchers visited with grade 7 students in the PGIA and Upper Elementary Montessori students to discuss marine debris as part of the Ocean Conservancy's Coast Weeks program.

Their talks prepared grade 7 for an upcoming a beach cleanup. The presenters also spoke to the Upper Elementary about ocean debris, island hot spots for garbage and how students can get involved in ocean clean-ups.

Delicious Events in Upper Elementary

Ms. Collings (Ms. Satter's mom!) visited Ms. Satter's class last week to do some cooking with the students. The students learned to make Banfora, a pineapple pancake-like recipe from Burkina Faso (one of the countries 6th graders are representing in MMUN). Student's also made caramel apples to get into the fall spirit.

Students in Ms. Hess’ class participated in a fun “Ice Cream in a Bag” community event that was tasty but also a cool chemistry demonstration.

What the Cell?!

Connor Erickson, in 7th grade, created an amazing plant cell model for science class! This model survived the trek all the way from water island.

The Back to School Fun Run begins Cross Country Season

Cross Country season is here!

The Back to School Fun Run was held last Tuesday as a season opening race. The following athletes placed in their respective divisions;

Boys 7-9y/o Half mile: Finn Torrice-Hairston 1st place

Girls 10-12y/o One mile: Zia Zucker 2nd place

Boys 10-12y/o One mile: Owen Livingston 1st place and Graham Pickett 2nd place

Girls 13-15y/o One Mile: Maia Tolud 2nd place

Boys 13-15y/o One Mile: Aidan Griffith 2nd place

Boys 16 & over One mile: Teagan Kappel 1st place

Autopista College Fair a Huge Success!

PGIA students met with 10 colleges and universities this week at the Autopista College Fair! Admissions representatives were on hand to answer our students' questions and talk about high school success strategies. Our visitors were very complimentary of both our campus and students...great job PGIA! Contact Kara Ebe Cook for more information or ways to get involved.

Basil Plants and Recycling - Ms. Hess’s Class Plant Sale

Max and his mom have been growing basil plants in recycled water bottles. Very cool in its own right, but the awesome thing is that the Upper El class will be selling the plants to raise money for their school garden! Good on you, Max - what a great way to give back to your school! Ms. Hess’s Upper Elementary class will be selling the basil plants on the afternoon car deck Thursday October 24th and Friday October 25th while supplies last. $3.00 per basil plant, cash only, donations welcome! Plants come in a self watering recycled water bottle planter. Proceeds of the sales will go towards supplies for the class garden.

Get a Slice of This - Upper Elementary Pizza Fundraiser

Upper Elementary Pizza Wednesday was a huge success! The new small business model was a wonderful addition to the Montessori Upper Elementary curriculum. Everyone was excited for the big launch and it went even more smoothly as imagined! Well done Upper El, we look forward to next Wednesday already!

Full Day Primary Students had a Splash

Ms. Boyle’s Full Day Primary students began their swimming lessons at the VI pool on October 3rd. All six were totally thrilled and one even swam for the first time! Everyone is enjoying this new addition to the Primary program.

Trip Report: Fall Break Exchange in Denmark

Fall break marked the beginning of the Gefion - VIMSIA exchange program. The week was intense and had a great impact for everyone involved.   The context and point of the program was historical and cultural explorations and exchange.  Each day was designed to explore not only the colonial history in the Danish West Indies, but more importantly and significantly how Danish society is coming to terms with their colonial history and experience.  This is part of a broader movement within Danish society to reshape their national mythology to include their role in the transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation and extraction in the islands. 

We toured museums with exhibits dealing with this past and paid particular attention to how they were presenting the story to the public.   We toured the city visiting important landmarks that were built with wealth extracted from the slave trade and colonial exploitation of the islands, learning that history is a story that is told not just through books, but the built world around us.  

We visited statues and works of public art recently commissioned and erected that honor important events such as 1848 emancipation or that honor the memory of important figures in the Virgin Islands such as Queen Mary and the four queens of the Fireburn revolt.  We visited the Royal Archives to see the importance of preservation of the past through historical documents and the limitations of the perspectives of they offer to historians.  Finally, we sat for a screening of the documentary We Carry Within Us, and follow-up discussion with the director about how we restore humanity to the past, about how Danish society is confronting uncomfortable truths of its past so that they can begin to have a more objectively honest view of their past and how individuals and communities can help to heal the living wounds of the past through action and service.  The program was phenomenal not only in terms of what the students were exposed to, what they learned, but also in the relationships and friendships formed.   There will be more to come next week from the student perspectives, stay tuned.

Eight Danish students and two instructors will be coming in January for their part of this years exchange.  We have four families lined up to host students but need an additional 6 families that would  be willing to host them for around 4 to 5 days (we are still finalizing their schedule of activities).   If anyone is interested or have questions please feel free to contact Mr. Ott for additional information.

JV Girls Volleyball Wins Antilles Tournament

Last weekend the VIMSIA Volts JV Girls Volleyball team bumped, set and spiked their way to a big win in the 2019 Antilles JV Volleyball tournament. Our JV Girls Volleyball team defended their 2018 title - winning the tournament for the second year in a row. 8th grader Alivia Arroyo was named tournament MVP. Congratulations to Alivia Arroyo, Natalia Figueroa, Layla Howard, Mya Vigilant, Devin DeGannes, Nyala Burke, Zia Gibbs, Ariana Tyson, Destiny Donastorg, Aysia Frett, Natasha Webster, and Cassidy Caines. Our JV Girls Volleyball team did an excellent job representing VIMSIA!

VIMSIA After-School Sailing Program

Peter Holmberg, Virgin Islands own Olympic silver medalist, America's Cup Skipper, and Match-Race World Champion, will be joining the after-school sailing program as a coach!

Sailing at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) is an after-school program available to Lower and Upper Elementary students on Wednesday afternoons.

Fall Break in Denmark

Four VIMSIA students, Maia Aqui, Chantel Carty, Saskia Connor-Louw, and Mikayla Kurtz traveled to Denmark during fall break as a part of a cultural exchange trip. On Monday, they were greeted at the Copenhagen Airport by Gefion Gymnasium students waving the Danish flag. Its a tradition in Denmark to use their flag, Dannebrog, in celebrations such as birthdays and welcoming travelers!

MMUN Students to Represent: Burkina Faso, Ecuador, and Italy

MMUN Students holding the flags of the countries to be represented. Left to right: Italy, Burkina Faso, Ecuador.

MMUN students have spent the first part of the year studying the United Nations, what the UN does and how the UN makes a difference in the world. Students will be representing Burkina Faso, Ecuador and Italy at the Montessori Model UN conference that is being held in New York City in March. In the coming weeks students will be researching these countries in preparation to write position papers on the assigned topics (to be announced soon!).

"One day a cat..." A Moveable Alphabet Saga

Part 1

These two stories come from students in Ms. Boyle’s Primary class. They created the stories using a Montessori material called the Moveable Alphabet.

The Moveable Alphabet

• The Moveable Alphabet is part of the Primary language curriculum. This material is typically introduced once a child has a firm knowledge of many sandpaper letters, between 4 and 6 years of age. 

• The key purpose of the Moveable Alphabet is to prepare children for writing, reading, and spelling. 

• The child’s use of the material progresses from single words, phrases, and eventually to stories. In this way, the Moveable Alphabet teaches children how to symbolize their own thoughts, and begin to write creatively.

Part 2

Cooking in the Classroom

Upper Elementary students Owen Livingston, Micah Auchincloss, and Zia Zucker were hard at work making chocolate chip croissants to share with the community!

Headed to School through Wind, Water and Rain!

Even though the sea ports were closed until 10am yesterday due to TS Karen these Montessori students still found their way to school all the way from St. John thanks to a generous ride on a private boat. In the PGIA 7th-grade Connor Erickson made his way from Water Island in a similar fashion.

Hungry Crowd Gathers at Devonte and Drake's Concession Stand

Devonte and Drake, PGIA Students, began operating a concession stand under the awning this week! Their stand will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:45pm to 1:20pm until Holiday Break.

The funds that Devonte and Drake will raise are to be donated to the Annual Fund and Bahamas Relief Fund (via St Thomas Reformed Church).

Look out for more new activity at the Concession stand this semester!

Hanging around the Art Department

Break time during the Art Department meeting!

Pictured: Ms. Bump, Ms. Sidiropoulos, and Ms. Ferguson

Aerial Yoga Taking Off!

Aerial yoga is off to a great start. These gals had a great time learning about alignment and trying out inversions! Two PGIA students helped Ms. Ferguson set up the class and decided to hang around.

Aerial yoga is a new after school class offered this semester it meets Wednesday afternoons from 3:30pm-4:30pm and is open to Upper Elementary and PGIA students.

Students Begin the Journey to the Montessori Model United Nations

Each 6th year student spent a week researching 3 different counties, in the MMUN meeting they shared what they learned with each other.