Mystery in the Wild West - Feb 8th
/On February 8th My Brother’s Workshop will present Mystery of the Wild West at VIMSIA. MBW has created a special promo code for VIMSIA Parents and Staff. The first 100 people to use the code VIMSIA2020 will receive 20% off of their ticket price. Tickets can be purchased online HERE.
HERE is the Facebook event page.
They are also looking for volunteers. All the shifts are 2 1/2 - 3 hours and the volunteers receive free entry.
The link to sign up to register to volunteer is HERE.
PGIA Notes
/PGIA Report Cards for Semester 1 The final report cards for semester 1 of the 2019-2020 school year will be distributed digitally via ManageBac on Friday, January 17th, 2020. As always, please reach out to Mrs. Arpasi should you need a hard copy sent home, or if you have any questions. We are here to help!
Friday, December 20th, 2019 - please have your students attend school! Below is the schedule for this Friday, which is not an optional day in the PGIA. This is an important day for community activities, campus care and PGIA acknowledgements. Please have your student(s) attend school. Thank you.
PGIA Schedule for Friday 12/20:
8.00-8.05 REGISTRATION - STUDENTS REPORT TO 1ST PERIOD
8.05-8.30 1ST PERIOD
8.30-10.30 HOLIDAY SHOW (all classes attend, except g12 who have an ESS exam)
10.30-11.00 LOCKER CLEAN OUT & CLEAN SHARED SPACES
11.00-11.30 FAREWELL ASSEMBLY (motivational speaker and Learner Profile award)
11.30 DISMISSAL
11.31 HOLIDAY BREAK!!
USVI U15 National Team - Girls Soccer Training
/USVI SOCCER ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE
OFFICE: 340.719.9707 23-1 Estate Bethlehem, Kingshill, St. Croix 00850
USVISOCCERASSOCIATION@GMAIL.COM FACEBOOK/USVI SOCCER ASSOCIATION
December 09, 2019
Carol D. Howell – USVISA COMMUNICATION CHOWELL@USVISOCCERASSOCIATION .COM 340.643.5837
Girls’ Under 15 Soccer Developmental Program
The US Virgin Islands Soccer Association is inviting young ladies interested in playing, having fun and getting fit with Soccer, to register for the upcoming girls developmental training program geared to girls 15 years and younger. This initiative aims to introduce young ladies born January 2005 or later to the fundamentals of Soccer and build a pool of players, who will participate in tournaments on a local, regional and international level. Participants in this Developmental Training Program will be eligible for selection to the USVI National Under 15 Girls Soccer Team that will participate in a CONCACAF Tournament, tentatively scheduled for August 2020, in Florida. To register and get more information young ladies on St. Croix can call Coach Bailey at 340-332-6928. On St. Thomas or St. John call Carol 340-643-5837. You can also email chowell@usvisoccerassociation.com.
For more information on other USVI Soccer Association programs, please feel free to contact the USVI Soccer Association office at (340)-719-9707 or email us at usvisoccer@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook at: USVI Soccer Association
Scoops & Brew - Lighted Boat Parade Party December 20th
/Tickets are officially on sale for The Lighted Boat Parade Kickoff Party with 100% of proceeds going to the Virgin Islands Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, which provides free, high-quality, monthly books to children age zero to 5.
The ticket value is $10 but the purchase price is $5 dollars as Scoops & Brew matches their donation. We are hoping that people will pre-purchase and we can get tickets into the hands of the territory's preschoolers.
Tickets are available at Scoops And Brew or the VI Children’s Museum.
The event begins at 5 PM on Friday, December 20. Santa will show up around 5:15 and the movie will begin around 6 PM.
Etelman Observatory Public Observing Evening
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Please see the message bellow from David Morris and the Etelman Observatory.
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the Etelman Observatory's next public observing night, to be held this coming Friday, December 13th. To reserve space, please go to the link below associated with the time slot you would like to attend and follow the directions:
http://observatory-7pm.rsvpify.com
http://observatory-8pm.rsvpify.com
http://observatory-9pm.rsvpify.com
Please note we are only accepting reservations through this automated system. If you know someone who does not have access to email but would like to make a reservation, please make a reservation on their behalf through the automated system.
Our latest public observing session has us looking forward to views of the planets Venus and Saturn (for early groups) and a nearly full Moon (for later groups) as well as various deep sky objects including globular clusters and galaxies. We look forward to seeing many of you for another night of astrophysics fun and learning under our beautiful Virgin Islands skies.
This month's event will also feature our, now traditional, "Physics of Santa Claus" video presentation and lecture where we discuss the science behind how Santa Claus can make his famous journey to visit all good girls and all good boys on December 25th.
As usual, we'll be running a shuttle service from the Sibilly School parking lot (near Sibs and the traffic circle) that we kindly ask all participants to make use of due to parking limitations at the Observatory. Please plan to be at the shuttle stop about 20-30 minutes before your scheduled session start time. We look forward to seeing many of you Friday night!
Kindest regards,
David Morris
Friday December 13th, 7:00-10:00p
Etelman Observatory and Science Center
Public Observing Night
Anticipated sights include: Planets, the Moon, and deep sky objects
This event is presented free of charge to the St. Thomas community. Space is limited so please RSVP at the links provided above.
MSA Survey Due Monday, December 16th
/VIMSIA Parents, Staff & Students,
As you know we are currently involved in our re-accreditation with Middle States Association and are asking for feedback!
Want to help make our school better?? Do this survey!
Please take the time to complete this very important survey for our Middle States Association (MSA) Self-Study in 2019-2020. The feedback from this survey will directly impact our ability to improve our school.
The survey will take you about 15-20 minutes, and it is completely anonymous.
Please complete this survey by Monday, December 16th.
We truly need 100% participation in order to make this process genuinely work towards making our school better.
You can find the surveys here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VIMSIAMSA2019STAFF
ALPINE TO HOST SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS - Saturday, November 23
/ALPINE TO HOST SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS BY RENOWNED TEST PREP EXPERT, COLLEGE RECRUITER AND STUDENTS Open to All High School Students Preparing for College
St. Thomas, USVI - ALPINE’S SAT PREP & 1000 WORDS CHALLENGE, which officially launched at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, will come to a close for the Fall Semester on Saturday, November 23, 2019, inside the Ruth E. Thomas Auditorium at Charlotte Amalie High School. Students who have diligently completed the program will be recognized with certificates and awards. The closing ceremony will also feature a renowned test preparation expert as well as college recruiters and students from the University of the Virgin Islands, in an effort to inform and inspire current high school students to prepare for success in college. The event will be open to all high school students in St. Thomas.
A special presentation will be made via Skype by Brian Stewart, founder of BWS Education Consulting and author of several ACT, SAT, and PSAT books published by Barron's Educational Series. His books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions in advance during the registration process, and are strongly encouraged to register online at www.collegeprepvi.org.
According to the College Board, which is the official entity that develops and administers the SAT, the average mean SAT score of 635 high school students who took the SAT in the VI during the 2017-18 school year was 935 out of a perfect score of 1600. While the SAT score is not a measurement of the students’ aptitude, potential or success in life, it can dictate their college choices and career paths. In addition, higher vocabulary level has been linked to greater intelligence and confidence.
ALPINE’S SAT PREP & 1000 WORDS CHALLENGE was launched to help VI’s high school students boost the scores of their SAT and increase the overall average mean to exceed the U.S. average mean SAT score of 1060. Studies have shown a direct link to advanced vocabulary and higher test scores, which is why students were also encouraged to learn 1000 essential words that are critical to performing well on the exam and in college.
Students participating in the Alpine SAT Prep program enrolled in the Official SAT Practice which is a computer-based practice plan developed by Khan Academy and the College Board, and used by nearly 40% of all SAT takers. Throughout the semester, the students’ progress and practice were monitored and encouraged. Those participating in the 1000 Words Challenge were also provided a list of 1000 words to learn and were given a final exam. Awards for top students in both programs include $100 cash prize and Texas Instruments TI-84, a graphic calculator that is commonly used during the SAT and in advanced math classes in college.
ALPINE’S SAT PREP & 1000 WORDS CHALLENGE has been organized by Alpine Securities USVI, LLC which has been involved with numerous charitable initiatives on the island focused on investing in the youth and bringing the community together, such as the annual King of the Wing contest that raises money for a local nonprofit organization.
For more information visit https://collegeprepvi.org.
University Bound - A College Prep Program Now Accepting Applications
/University Bound (UB) is a college preparatory program for 9th - 12th grade students. It is designed to generate the skills and motivation that lead to academic success for students in high school and beyond. University Bound extends its services to high school students from families meeting low income criteria, potential first generation college students, and students with academic needs who may benefit from the program services. It seeks to help students who have academic ability, but who may not have the preparation, motivation or opportunity to realize or demonstrate their full potential. UB provides a unique experience with a different meaning for each student who is eager to grow and learn in a setting designed for success. For more information, including how to apply, visit: https://www.uvi.edu/academics/ctr-student-success/css-upward-bound.aspx . UB accepts applications year-round on a rolling basis.
Humane Society Pet Disaster Planning and Clinic Hosted at VIMISA
/This Sunday, Nov 17th, the St. Thomas Humane Society is hosting a free pet wellness clinic to help prepare for natural disasters. This event will be on campus from 9am to 4pm
Humane Society St. Thomas Presents - Nightmare Manor
/The Humane Society of St. Thomas is thrilled to announce for the very first time in the Virgin Islands, a memorable Halloween event for the entire family!
It’s all happening at the Humane Society Campus on Weymouth Rhymer Highway from 6:00-9:00 PM for 5 days: Sunday Oct. 27 - Thursday Oct 31!
Tickets Adults: $20 - Students with ID: $10 - Children under 12: $5
Ticket outlets: Caribbean Surf, Forever Flowers, Humane Society of St. Thomas, Phoenix Visions Hair Design & Pure’ly Paws and tickets available at the door every evening
Some Highlights:
WITCHES, SPIDER CAVES, ZOMBIE VILLAGE and of course a GRAVEYARD; Skeletons, mummies, ghosts, cauldron creepers and more!
Become transfixed and very scared by larger than life animatronics and real actors with the ability to startle, entertain and amaze you!
Halloween fun for adults with face painting and lots of games and free giveaways the 1st 25 children, per night up to 12 years old PLUS lots of other tricks & treats for all ages! (All children must be accompanied by an adult)
WARNING: Not for very young children or for the faint of heart.
BRING YOUR APPETITE: Food & Drinks for Sale and photo opportunities galore await this unique never before seen event for everyone in your family!
For more information, please call the Masters of the Macabre at: 340-513-1854 or 340-473-6471.
PGIA End Session 2020
/What an exciting season we have coming in spring of 2020. End Session is an experiential learning program where students get to dive deep into one particular course for 3 weeks. This true "education for life" allows students to prepare for the world outside of school. Join VIMSIA and travel the world! The PGIA students will be participating in all of the following end session courses:
Service Adventures in Bhutan
Geography and Culture of Chile
Global Student Leadership Summit in Toronto
History of Freedom in Washington DC and Virginia
Hispanic Cooking Show
SCUBA, Sailing & Service
Creative Writing
The Meaning of Being a Virgin Islander
End Session Scholarships
This year, to support international travel initiatives, 16 $1000 scholarships were awarded to deserving PGIA students:
15 $1000 scholarships were awarded from VIMSIA without Borders, our international education pay-it-forward program
1 $1000 scholarship was given to a student with financial need by an anonymous donor who feels passionate about the value of travel in education - THANK YOU!
The Silicon Valley Summer Internship Available for Students aged 15-18
/
The Silicon Valley Summer Internship
California
5th - 14th August 2020
InvenstIn are delighted to announce the launch of The Silicon Valley Summer Internship in August 2020.
For Ages 15-18
The Silicon Valley Summer Internship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your students to experience life in the heart of the world's tech capital. Over 10 action-packed days, the internship will offer experiential visits to some of the most iconic companies defining the world today, including Google, Airbnb and Apple.
Visit the headquarters of a variety of top tech firms; private networking sessions with leading Silicon Valley professionals; compete in the "unicorn" challenge: build a company in 48 hours under the guidance of venture capitalists; experience life at Stanford and Berkeley universities and much more...
Places are highly limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We are already 35% full for the internship in Summer 2020. A full timetable is available via the link below.
Link to Trailer: https://vimeo.com/366196024
A 15% early-bird discount is available to students who book before 30th November. Enter the code INTERN15 at checkout.
