Blog
PGIA's Ms. Sibyl Rolle Directs Virtual Play - July 10th
/Our Ms. Sibyl Rolle is directing a virtual play with Four Walls Theater based in Brooklyn NY and is inviting the VIMSIA community to tune in.
“Michelle Tyrene Johnson’s timely play, “Rights of Passage”, directed by Sibyl Rolle, asks the question what happens when a white police officer comes to a law office to seek legal help after killing an unarmed black youth? Controversy and media attention hasn’t yet happened, but for the police officer, explaining what happened is more complicated than he bargained for.
The Livestream! performance is Friday, July 10 at 8pm EST/ 5pm PT.
The recording of the performance will only be available through July 24th.
Those who donate prior to the start of the livestream performance will receive a Zoom link for an exclusive talk-back with the artists after the show.”
To find out more information you can visit the Four Walls Theater website or Facebook.
Obituary: Claire Foster
/With sorrow we inform the VIMSIA community of the passing of Claire Foster - one of the original founders of VIMSIA.
Claire Marie Foster of St. Thomas, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2020. She was born on July 7, 1929 in New Jersey, to parents Clara and Leon Cybulski. Raised in Collingswood, New Jersey, she attended St. John grammar school and Camden Catholic High School. From childhood she yearned to travel, so she started her adventure with American Airlines, managing a V.I.P. ticket office on Wall Street in New York City. She moved on to McGettigan’s Travel Bureau in Philadelphia where she was offered the chance to travel more extensively. Soon she was invited to the opening of the elegant Virgin Isle Hotel, in St. Thomas, where she immediately fell in love with the island. While staying at Galleon House on Government Hill, she became friendly with the owners and shared with them how she had always dreamed of running a guesthouse. They told her to ask again in 15 years. Two years and two trips later she was offered a job at Travel Services on Main Street, where she started in January 1961, and soon became a manager. Shortly thereafter she met, Englishman, John Foster, who was the navigator of the 75-foot yacht, Eroica, which he sailed from England to St. Thomas. That summer her dream came true, when she had the chance to run Galleon House.
The following year, after she and John were married at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, they bought the guesthouse, which Claire lovingly managed. The adventure continued when they had their two children, Johnny and Lilibet, which inspired her involvement in the founding of Montessori school. Later, she joined her husband’s firm, John Foster Real Estate. A lifelong and devout Catholic, she served as Lector, Eucharistic Minister, the leader of many prayer groups and pilgrimages, and was presented to John Paul II in Rome, Italy. She was a longtime member of The Papal Foundation, West Indian Franciscans, Inner Wheel Club, Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, where she also served as secretary for over twenty years, and she was instrumental in the founding of the Knights of Malta Virgin Islands Area and St. Thomas Yacht Club.
She loved their residence in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where she relocated after hurricanes, Irma and Maria, damaged their home on St. Thomas. She worshipped at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola until medical problems intervened, which also prevented her from returning to her treasured home on St. Thomas. Claire dearly loved and cherished her family and is survived by her beloved husband of 58 years, John; son, John P., Shane (wife), Olivia, Sophia, Miles, Parry, Sheridan (children); daughter, Lilibet, Charles Pessler (husband), Tristan John (son); sister, Janet Christensen; sister, Bonnie Ostroff, Joel (husband); and many more family members and friends.
A memorial service to be held on St. Thomas, will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 8i Estate Elizabeth, St. Thomas, VI 00802. For information about the service, please feel free to contact the family at cfosterinfo@gmail.com.
Art is a Verb - Now Online
/The Art is a Verb 2019-2020 Collection is now online!
While this global event has disrupted the student artwork and dance performance showcase, Art is a Verb, these artists and dancers continued create.
These DP dancers got together with the support of their families to produce this video of their performance of “Too Late” check out this power video and others now featured on the school website!.
VIMSIA Library Open for Summer Concierge Service!
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The VIMSIA Library will be open this summer! Ms. Schlesinger will continue offering the Library Concierge Check-Out.
If you have not already used this service here are instructions on how to get started.
Check out the Summer Reading collection. It has the VIMSIA suggested reading lists, cool online reading challenges, and more!
Stay tuned for more fun updates from the Library this summer.
Celebrating the Montessori 6th Years
/We had the opportunity last week to celebrate the 18 wonderful 6th year students with VIMSIA's first even Virtual Graduation. Please click here to enjoy the video that is filled with teacher tributes, student presentations and a special musical tribute from the 4th and 5th year students.
Prior to the Virtual ceremony we had the opportunity to see the graduates briefly when they came to campus to pick up the much treasured Montessori Medallions.
Black Lives Matter Protest - St. Thomas
/Many VIMSIA students and staff were among the USVI residents who came out to contribute their voices to the Black Lives Matter Protest on Saturday. The Peaceful Protest started at the waterfront and worked its way to Roosevelt Park. I am proud to see so many VIMSIA faces standing up and speaking out for what they believe in. Keep up the good Work!
Please return library books you are not using!
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Many students still have library books at home that they checked out before school went into distance learning mode. It is now time to return those books! Please place your books in the bin located near the office door on the car deck. Notices will be emailed to all students who have books checked out. Look for emails directly to students in grades 4-12, and to parents of students in CASA, Primary, and Lower El. Families are encouraged to continue to check out books over the summer, but PLEASE bring back books that you are not currently reading so that others may enjoy them.
A letter from VIMSIA Leadership in response to tragic events across our country.
/To the VIMSIA Community,
Our hearts are heavy with the recent acts of hatred and violence and the resulting calls for justice taking place across the country. Our community joins all those mourning the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others. The pain of these deaths require, at the very least, our solidarity and we must step up to denounce racism with one voice.
In the face of these injustices, we must remain committed to building an inclusive community, the strength of which rests on our shared appreciation for a diversity of cultures and identities. This cannot be passive. We must each continue to find ways of taking action to demonstrate our values. This work is essential to fostering mutual respect, responsibility, and empathy in each of us, so we may carry these values out into the world.
VIMSIA’s goal continues to be the education and development of global citizens, which we are constantly working towards in both our Montessori and PGIA classrooms. We aim to provide a space to help students share their thoughts and feelings, as well as develop solutions and take action to address the world’s injustices. To that end, PGIA students are invited to a forum on the Causes and Consequences of Current Protests tomorrow, June 4th at 3:15 pm. This optional, open forum will build and expand on conversations that have already taken place within Individuals & Societies and Global Politics classes this week.
For anyone struggling to process these recent events in a productive and healthy way, know that you are not alone and we are here to support you. We encourage students to reach out to our Guidance Counselor, Samantha Kaffenbarger, or any staff member with whom you feel comfortable.
We have included a link to a library collection of vetted resources, some of which our staff are already using in the classroom. This collection is by no means an exhaustive list but it is a start to aid understanding of what is happening in our country.
Racism, Civil Disobedience & Global Unrest
Sincerely,
VIMSIA Leadership Team
Dying Earth - Poem by Vidhika Khemani
/Dying Earth
By Vidhika Khemani
In a world with a sky of true bright blue,
you steal away life only thinking of you.
The rustling of the leaves is what you hear.
Sunbeams through trees dimming is what we fear.
Chemicals in my bodies of water,
are wickedly worse than manslaughter.
Atmospheric air absorbs pollutants,
which may cause humans to be turned into mutants.
You kill me each day, slowly and silently.
I stand here defenseless and helplessly.
You don’t hear my screams, or screeches, torn apart,
with tears in my eyes, and pain in my heart.
I need you to make a conscious choice,
‘fore toxic pollution quiets my voice.
Campus Improvements - Spring 2020
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There have been some beautiful and functional improvements to campus over the last few weeks. As you drive by campus you will see a new water feature made from recycled WAPA utility poles. Under the solar awning we have installed some seriously big fans which will improve the airflow in the area. Our athletic field lights are bright, and the field will be ready to host evening athletic events as soon as it is safe to do so.
New Book Alert: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
/Hot off the press and into the VIMSIA library, Suzanne Collins newest book in the Hunger Games series has just arrived! The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the Hunger Games series we all know and love. Reserve it today at the VIMSIA library online.
VIMSIA GIRLS GO CYBERSTART TEAM EARNS 1000 POINTS
/The VIMSIA Girls Go CyberStart team competed Wednesday and Thursday in the national championships of the Girls Go CyberStart online cybersecurity competition. The competition lasted a grueling 36 hours. Yes, the team did take time to sleep! Our team worked together, stayed in touch via text and Zoom, and learned so much through the process. A growth mind-set was definitely needed, and the team never gave up.
As a first year team going to the national championships, we knew we would be up against difficult, unfamiliar challenges. The team had to work hard for every point, applying deep thinking and creativity to solve the problems. They earned 1000 points! Results are unofficial until next week, but we will place closer to the middle of the pack than the top ten. Of course, just making it to any national level championship is an immense feat. We are very proud of this team!
Next year we will be able to bring a more experienced group to this competition, and our goals will be high.
VIMSIA will also be fielding Middle and High School teams in a different online competition coming up next weekend - InteGirls. This one involves solving online puzzles and will be challenging. It is also an opportunity to learn a lot and build team relationships. You can learn more about the InteGirls competition here: www.integirls.org
Feel free to contact Mrs. Hoffart (rhoffart@vimsia.org) or Ms. Petrich (mpetrich@vimsia.org) for more information about InteGirls.
Mandalas in Art Club
/This week in Art Club students discussed the meaning, function and materials associated with creating mandalas.
Here are some of their creations from their homes and surroundings!
Library Concierge Check-out is Here!
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Order your print books ahead of time, and pick up your order on the car deck.
To reserve books, go to our library and log in to your student account.
Full instructions are available through the library page and in the classroom folders on Google drive.
Happy Reading!
VI Youth Art Month Online Gallery Showcases Student's Work
/The Virgin Islands Youth Art Month Online Gallery has been so successful that they are opening up submissions again. What began as a solution to the cancellation of their 12th annual art show has expanded into this wonderful platform sharing art work from VI youths. The YAM Student Art Online Gallery can be viewed on the group’s Facebook page.
The gallery currently has artwork from VIMSIA students including, Sofia Kappel, Zia Gibbs, and Deja-Marie Simon.
Deja-Marie was recently quoted in the St. John Source article about the exhibit. “Art helps me draw or paint out how I feel. It is a very good stress reliever. When I start to have anxiety, I just draw to calm down,” Simon said”
To read the article and find out more about how to participate in the next round of submissions click here
Deja-Marie Simon - 17 years old 11th grade VIMSIA St. Thomas USVI Digital Art
VIMSIA TEAM COMPETES IN NATIONAL CYBER-SECURITY COMPETITION
/Four VIMSIA students have been hard at work to complete the challenges and requirements to compete in the Girls Go CyberStart national online cybersecurity competition. Out of 15,652 young women registered for the competition VIMSIA’s team is one of the 300 teams that qualified for the national championship level. Team members Lindsay Barr, Rosalie Faulkner, Mireille Boumedine and Vidhika Khemani along with their advisor Rebecca Hoffart began meeting in February and have been meeting via Zoom since VIMSIA’s campus closed on March 13th.
Girls Go CyberStart is a program of SANS Institute, a non-profit organization which provides premiere cybersecurity training. Teams of high school girls from all over the country compete in a completely online competition, solving challenges in various areas relevant to cybersecurity: programming, web insecurities, cryptography, etc.
You can find out more about the competition here: https://girlsgocyberstart.org/
The national championship will be held online May 20-21. Advisor Rebecca Hoffart says, “Competition will be unbelievably tough. It's a great chance for the team members to test their skills, think outside the box and try some creative techniques to solve the challenges that will be real brain breakers. As a first-year team, we will learn as much as we can and do the best we can. I am ridiculously proud of them and ridiculously proud to be their advisor in this competition.”
VIMSIA is proud of this team of young women. Lindsay, Rosalie, Mireille, and Vidhika are competing against elite high schools with long-established, top-notch computer science programs. They have put in hard work and creativity to get this far in the competition and that is a huge accomplishment.
Alumni Spotlight: Leah Trotman Wins Truman Scholarship
/Congratulations to Leah Trotman VIMSIA Class of 2017
Leah was recently recognized in the St. Thomas Source for being one of the 62 recipients of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for graduate studies.
Excerpt from the St. Thomas Source:
Trotman is now working on her bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in public health. Agnes Scott College, located 15 minutes from Atlanta, was the perfect choice for Trotman, she said, “because of its focus on the social challenges of our time and how we can engage as global citizens.”
She said a faculty member, Kai Issa, has been her mentor as she’s pursued her studies in global leadership.
Trotman is the daughter of Joycelyn Hewlett, a journalist and attorney, and LeRoy Trotman, an educator and musician. She attended All Saints Cathedral School through sixth grade and then the Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy, where she received an international baccalaureate degree. With its international scope, her high school program gave her the opportunity to travel to several places, including China.
Leah Trotman walks near Iguazu Falls in Misiones Province, Argentina while abroad in 2019. (Photo by Charlotte Howland)
In her college freshman year, she traveled to Guatemala; in 2019 she spent a semester in Argentina at the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, a Jesuit university where Pope Francis studied. At the end of her studies, she traveled extensively in Argentina and Chile.
“It transformed who I was as a learner,” she said. “Taking time to explore these countries taught me how to separate self-worth from productivity – it was really a fun time.”
She capitalized on the fluency in Spanish she acquired during high school, becoming confident enough to debate one of her professors about the thorny issue of racism, something that definitely exists in Argentina, she said.
“People commented on my hair and skin color – that also happened to me in China, where people grabbed me and pulled at my braids,” Trotman said.
She used that experience to fuel her research on racism in Argentina, where comments on her racial difference seemed to come “more out of love or curiosity.”
She said growing up on St. Thomas gave her the confidence to deal with some of these difficult experiences.
“When you’re born in the Caribbean, you’re surrounded by people who look just like you at all levels of power. No one ever told me I couldn’t do anything.
Navigate 2020 Virtual Conference and College Fair
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You are invited to the Navigate 2020 Virtual Conference and College Fair. This event will host three days of live-stream expert presentations for students and families and a concurrent virtual college fair with fully interactive booths. Students can chat live with colleges. This event is free-of-charge to attendees and is designed to help students and colleges connect safely during the COVID-19 crisis. Register and Learn More
Focus and Relax with Zentangles
/The Art Club explored zentangles using words that they wanted to share with our VIMSIA community.
What is Zentangle?
The Zentangle Method is a relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing patterns. Learn more about the Zentangle method here
Please feel free to copy, print and color the Art Club’s zentangles to help you relax and reflect on the positives of this time in your life.
