Congratulations to Aurora Rodriguez, 6th grade student, who just competed and then won first place in The Copa Ski Club Bariloche Race in San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina!
She also placed first place in the Giant Slalom Event and second place in the Slalom Event.
Aurora had the fastest time of all the 155 girls & boys who participated in the U12 Giant Slalom Race!
At the car deck Montessori students greeted their returning friends and helped their new classmates get settled.
Students in the PGIA started their day off with an assembly followed by meeting and activities that prepared new and returning students alike for a successful year in the PGIA.
PGIA's 2019 End Session program, CyberFutures, facilitated by Dr. Marc Boumedine of UVI and Ms. Rebecca Hoffart, was included in the National Cyberwatch Center's annual publication, 2019 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education on page 57.
What is the National Cyberwatch Center?
Their website describes themselves as, " a consortium of higher education institutions, businesses, and government agencies focused on collaborative efforts to advance Information Security education and strengthen the national cybersecurity workforce." For more info https://www.nationalcyberwatch.org/
In the three-week-long End Session program the students learned about, Computer Programming, Cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things. Students also completed independent projects using Raspberry Pi computers. The various projects included measuring the temperature or moisture in the room and programming LED light boards.
Congratulations to the students and teachers in the CS Futures End Session Program for their hard work and national recognition!
Brianna Jordan
Chris Griffith
Diego Zakers
Divina Kamra
Jayvyn Potter
Mikayla Kurtz
Mireille Boumedine
Riddhi Atmaramani
Andy Yu
Ms. Hoffart and Dr. Boumedine
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Architecture and Engineering Club (AE Club) rejoins us this year as they take on various campus projects including: shade structures, a water feature to divert excess rain water, and comfortable benches.
Monday marked the first day of work for the nine students. We are so thankful that they are returning again this year, last year they made significant improvements to our playground and other communal areas.
“I felt the work we did here was fulfilling, challenging and I learned a lot.” David Chamberlin said about why he chose to return again this year. To learn more about their work last year, please check out this article in the St. Thomas Source.
Top Left: Oakley and Lancer take a break after digging. Top Right: David, Oakley and Lancer hard at work. Bottom: Mr. Bornn and the UAA AE club have a quick meeting
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)
PGIA End Session is one of the exceptional programs that sets VIMSIA apart from other schools. Each year, we put together several program options for these last few weeks of school. These are in depth programs that focus on language, the arts, STEM, history and international-mindedness. Some involve international travel, while others provide these experiences here on campus - with special field trips and events.
The students’ experience culminates with a presentation to our school community and this year’s groups did not disappoint:
Up-Cycling: From Trash to Treasure - Presentation
Sports & Nutrition - Presentation
London is Calling - Presentation
Cyber Security & Computer Science - Presentation
La Novelita - Presentation, Movie Trailer, Full Length Film
Music Explorations - Presentation
Journey to Iceland & Ireland - Presentation and Video
Viva Panama - Presentation, Panama Rap. Follow @pgiapanama on Instagram.
Bianca Campbell, PGIA 9th grade student, will participate in the US Air Force Academy Summer Seminar in Santa Fe, New Mexico this summer! She will get first hand experience of what it is like to be in the Air Force as well as develop endurance and leadership skills. Congratulations Bianca! Stay tuned for more updates on where our students are heading this summer! Please contact Ms. Ebe with any questions or to share details on your upcoming summer experience.
This week the PGIA Sports and Health End Session, led by Mr. Matt Stocking and Mr. Ben Gribble, got a special treat donated by Stormy Pirates Boat Charters. On Tuesday we hiked the Reef Bay Trail on St John. Afterwards Stormy Pirates picked us up, treated us to Pizza Pi and let us snorkel in Christmas Cove. Special thanks to Stormy Pirates for an awesome day!
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.
Virgin Islands Montessori School - Class of 2019
Thursday, June 13 was filled with celebration as our 6th year students graduated from the Montessori Program!
Norma Bolinger, Montessori Director and former teacher of a few graduates, commended this group of 17 for their hard work, leadership and resilience. She highlighted a variety of highs and lows for these students including survival in the face of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, welcoming new teaching staff, success on the annual MMUN trip or, for some, transitioning to a new school.
Zia Gibbs and Santiago Brunt were the two student speakers. Both having been at VIMSIA for their entire Montessori careers, Gibbs and Brunt shared their best memories and passion for the program. Gibbs said, “I will always love Montessori, even when I am 100 years old! Right now I feel as though I have shifted from a student to a person, finding my way.” Brunt noted that the Montessori program gives him hope for “Resolutions for peace around the world.”
Zia Gibbs addresses the graduates
Ms. Mandy Boyle was the keynote speaker. This year marked Ms. Boyle’s 25th year of teaching here at VIMSIA. She urged students to enjoy each day, live in the moment, not to grow up too fast and to find a way to make next year better.
Ms. Alexandra Silva, PGIA Middle Years Program Coordinator, welcomed the group to the PGIA. She offered words of encouragement and excitement for the students’ next chapter as they move on to middle school.
Ms. Kate Ludick addresses the graduates
Upper Elementary teachers, Petra Satter and Kate Ludick, gave heartfelt speeches as well. Ms. Satter sited the students’ impact on her development and Ms. Ludick read Maya Angelou’s “On the Pulse of Morning”, a poem that focuses on change, responsibility and inclusion.
The VIMSIA community is so proud of these young people. Best of luck as they make there way “up the hill” and beyond!
Summer is a wonderful time for leisure reading. The Montessori & PGIA Libraries will be open through June 21, and families are welcome to come check out books for the summer. Allowing children to choose their own books is a proven way to make reading fun for even the most reluctant readers. We encourage all elementary students to take up the Read 5 challenge from the Governor’s summer Reading Program – each student has received a form and one free book to get started. Other ideas for summer reading activities can be found here. Happy Reading!
Jacob helping to introduce students to the Governor’s Summer Reading Program. One of the featured books is jacob and Jet, written by his mother Liza Margolis.
As part of the Trash to Treasure End Session Course, students are re-purposing discarded waste into unique treasures with aesthetic and practical appeal. This week, the group teamed up with Sports & Nutrition to explore the mangrove lagoon and learn about the flora and fauna affected by terrestrial litter and marine debris.
End Session students kayaking in St. Thomas
End Session students enjoy VI Eco Tours on St. Thomas
Alex McFarlane was drafted to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday! He is a strong commit to the University of Miami (FL) as well. Alex attended Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy from La Casa until 11th grade. He moved to Georgia to further pursue opportunities for baseball for his senior year of high school. Congratulations on these incredible opportunities, Alex! The VIMSIA Community is very proud.
Ms. DiFrancesco’s third years went to St. John for their end of year trip! They hiked the Cinnamon Bay Trail and swam at Trunk Bay. They saw some Taino artifacts and learned about some of their tools and techniques as well as some plants they used for food and medicine. The Taino were an indigenous people of the Caribbean.
Students enjoy a tour from the St. John National Park Service.
“The purpose of education must be to elevate the individual.” - Dr. Maria Montessori
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) is celebrating 90 years! Dr. Maria Montessori founded AMI in 1929. VIMSIA’s Montessori program is accredited by AMI. The organization is directed by an international board, and is supported by distinguished scholars and statespeople throughout the world. AMI is internationally recognized as the oldest and most respected Montessori Program accrediting organization in the world.
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
Nisha, a 2012 PGIA IB graduate, was on hand for the 2019 commencement ceremony last week and we were honored to have her announce our guest speaker. It was so fabulous to see Nisha back on campus to get an update on what is going on in her life.
She brought in a photo on her at her 2012 graduation holding her “Oh the Places You’ll Go” book, by Dr. Suess, which has become a traditional gift for our graduates from their teachers and the VIMSIA staff.
Nisha, a Gates Millennium Scholar, has achieved much since her time at the PGIA. She is most certainly on a path to be the change she hopes to see in the world. Rock on, Nisha!
She gave us some of the highlights of her life since graduation:
In 2012, when I graduated I received the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship that completely covered my undergraduate and graduate education.
During my freshman year of college, in 2012, I was the student keynote speaker for the IB Conference in New Orleans in which I introduced environmentalist Phillip Cousteau Jr.
I attended New College of Florida and graduated in 2016 with a BA in Biology/Chemistry.
I graduated in 2018, last year, with my Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA.
At the beginning of medical school, I found out I received the National Health Service Corp (NHSC) Scholarship which covers the cost of medical school in exchange for my commitment to providing primary care to underserved populations.
I just finished my first year of medical school at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN.
I will be conducting clinical research in health disparities this summer at Stanford University for 8 weeks.
We at VIMSIA could not be more proud of Nisha. Oh, the places she has gone - and is going!
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.
Sunday, May 26, was an incredible day at Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy. The Class of 2019 represents the PGIA’s 10th graduating class and these thirteen graduates shined during their last event as high school students! This group has a very notable bond and there was an overwhelming sense of ‘readiness’ to start the next chapter of their lives.
Valedictorian Talia Feshbach
Salutatorian Axel Bartsch
Gregory Christian, 2019 Student Selected Commencement Speaker, receives the Masjid Nur International-Mindedness Scholarship
Talia Feshbach led the class as Valedictorian and Axel Bartsch was Salutatorian. Gregory Christian was chosen by his peers as the student speaker. He was also awarded the Masjid Nur Organization's International-Mindedness Scholarship at the ceremony. Gregory shared wonderful anecdotes and perspective, having been a part of the VIMSIA school community since Primary. Ms. Alexandra Silva was selected as the teacher speaker and encouraged students to take on each of their classmate’s best and most signature qualities as they venture off into the world. The crowd enjoyed a keynote address from Shane Feldman, founder and CEO of Count Me In, one of the world’s largest millennial movements for volunteerism, community and mentorship.
Twelve students are planning to attend university in the fall. They were accepted to 53 different universities and received over $5 million in scholarships and grants.
Our students will be attending:
Allegheny College (PA)
Bryn Mawr College (PA)
Drexel University (PA)
Florida Atlantic University (FL)
Georgia State University (GA)
Grove City College (PA)
High Point University (NC)
Howard University (DC)
Jacksonville University (FL)
Occidental College (CA)
Rider University (NJ)
University of Miami (FL)
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
