s , V i M d s d : J 1, 2019 - Carney Sandoe & AssociatesSt. Thomas is largely mountainous. Many...

Virgin islands Montessori school & Peter gruber international acadeMy

st. thoMas, Virgin islandsMontessori director

start date: July 1, 2019ViMsia.org

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Virgin Islands Montessori School & Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) is a Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) World School on the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. A non-profit, coeducational, independent day school, VIMSIA offers educational programming for toddler through grade 12. The school is seeking a Montessori Director to lead its Montessori Program for students in the Toddler Program through Upper Elementary, 6th grade.

At VIMSIA, students and staff are passionate about learning, dedicated to service, and of the highest integrity, committed to making a difference in the school and global communities through selfless acts of service. With a focus on Spanish infusion and international-mindedness, the school educates in an environmentally conscious and green school environment that is 100% solar powered. VIMSIA is one of only 238 schools in the world that offer both the MYP and DP through the International Baccalaureate Organization. This, coupled with its Primary and Elementary Montessori program, makes VIMSIA a truly unique school.

It is easy to be inspired by VIMSIA, not only for the warmth and strong sense of community that one feels everywhere on the campus, but for the dynamic energy and vision that will almost certainly shape its future. Recovering from the ravages of the major hurricanes of 2017, the school is both proud of what it is and what it can clearly be. The Montessori Director will be tasked with building enrollment and revitalizing the campus while maintaining the integrity of the Montessori program. Proven success in providing inspired leadership for students, faculty, and the school community will be imperative. Above all, the new Director will always have to be able to maintain a vision of where the school wants to go.

1The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

MissionFrom Toddler through Upper Elementary, VIMSIA is dedicated to the Association Montessori Internationale’s (AMI) Montessori philosophy and method of education. Our International Academy is student-centered and built upon a strong Montessori foundation using IBO principles. VIMSIA is an active, viable institution set upon a solid foundation of excellence in faculty, administration and facilities. Our purpose is to provide the fullest development and highest standard of learning possible in each individual child. Nondenominational and nondiscriminatory, our school welcomes children from all backgrounds.

An education at the Virgin Islands Montessori School allows our students to experience the joy of learning while striving for excellence and stimulating the initiative and curiosity inherent in each individual. We provide an atmosphere that guides the progress of each student to their potential intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically with special focus on nurturing the human spirit. We emphasize respect for self, others, the VI community, and the global environment.


the school

In 1963, the concept of a Montessori school in the Virgin Islands captured the imagination and support of a group of St. Thomas parents. A one-room building emerged in January 1964 with a preschool class of 12 students. The school’s first Primary Class was located on half an acre of land, and early growth focused on additional preschool classes.

Lower and Elementary classes were added in the early 1970’s, extending the program through 6th grade. Responding to the needs of parents and students, the La Casa Toddler Program for two-year-olds was added in 1994. The long-awaited addition of a Middle School became a reality in 1997 with a 7th grade class, followed by 8th grade the following year.

Upper School began in 2004 with the addition of the 9th grade, and the International Baccalaureate Organization’s (IBO) secondary school programs for grades 7 and up – the Middle Years Program and Diploma Program – were introduced in 2006. Over the ensuing years, the school has grown steadily to meet the needs of the St. Thomas community.

Like the Island of St. Thomas, VIMSIA is a truly global community – ethnically, racially, socioeconomically, and religiously. The school serves a diverse community and seeks to reflect this diversity within its student body of 300.

Fast Facts

Students Enrolled: 272Zip Codes Represented: 26Students of Color: 36%Student to Faculty Ratio: 7 to 1Faculty and Staff of Color: 51%Faculty Holding Advanced Degrees: 74%Athletic Teams: 8 competitive varsity and junior varsity teamsEndowment: $2.5 millionTotal Financial Aid Awarded for 17-18: $1.4 millionStudents Receiving Financial Aid for 17-18: 21%


acadeMics

From Toddler through Upper Elementary, VIMSIA is dedicated to the Association Montessori Internationale’s (AMI) Montessori philosophy and method of education. The Peter Gruber International Academy (PGIA) for 7th through 12th grades is authorized as an IB World School for both the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP). The school has developed a Spanish Infusion program, which begins in the Toddler classrooms and is carried through all years. The last several weeks of the PGIA school year are devoted to End Session – a selection of several intense study programs across grade levels that often include international educational travel and culminate in professional presentations.

Montessori and IB are the school’s two premier internationally recognized educational programs which are set upon a solid foundation of excellence in faculty, administration, and facilities. The school aims to provide the fullest development and highest standard of learning possible in each individual child. The Montessori pedagogy has a focus on learning by doing and reflecting on work done with the hands. Classrooms extend to real life in the outdoors and to the outer reaches of the globe. Teachers provide an atmosphere that guides the progress of each student to their potential – intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically – with special focus on nurturing the human spirit, emphasizing respect for self, others, the school community, and the global environment.


la casa toddler PrograM

The La Casa Toddler Program welcomes children aged 18 months through 3 years and is accredited by the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services. This warm, caring, safe, educational environment is modeled on Montessori principles. The indoor and outdoor environments are specially prepared for toddlers, while stimulating and exciting activities meet the developmental process of the child and encourage exploration and curiosity. The Toddler Program offers a wonderful preparation for the transition into the Montessori Primary class for ages 3-6.

One of the goals at VIMSIA is to provide an exceptional second language program, which focuses on Spanish. La Casa is the starting point for the school’s Spanish Infusion program. There is a Montessori teacher and a Spanish-speaking teaching assistant in each classroom. Playtime, walks, and classroom activities are infused with both English and Spanish, providing early learning in Spanish and preparing the child’s mind for learning other languages throughout his or her life.


Virgin islands Montessori school

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) accredited Montessori program for students ages 3-12 is comprised of three developmental levels: Primary, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary.

PrimaryIn this multi-aged setting for children ages 3-6, children learn from each other. Younger children get a chance to look ahead and see what is coming next by watching the older children. Older children have the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge by sharing it with the younger children. The classroom becomes a thriving community where children are treated with respect and dignity and want to treat others in the same way. The curriculum includes Practical Life, Sensorial, Spoken Language, Written Language, Reading, Math, Art, Music, Geography and Cultural Studies, and Grace and Courtesy lessons.

Lower and Upper ElementaryLike Montessori Primary, both Montessori Elementary levels are based on three-year age groups. Lower Elementary is for 6- to 9-year-old students, and Upper Elementary is for 9- to 12-year-olds. At each of these levels, multi-age grouping provides for broad social development. In an exciting research style of learning, children work in small groups or individually on a variety of projects, which spark the imagination and engage the intellect. The appetite of children at this age – to understand the universe and their place in it – directs the elementary work toward all aspects of the universe and beyond. The curriculum for both levels includes Cosmic Education, Language, Mathematics and Geometry, History, Geography and Physical Science, Biology, Art, Music, and Physical Education.


sustainability

VIMSIA is proud to have been on the leading edge of the solar movement in St. Thomas. Its first 6KW array in 2007 set the stage for what has become a 212KW array in 2018. The school puts sustainability at the forefront of campus operations with programs to recycle, reduce waste, save energy, and conserve water. A retention pond built below the field promotes ground water retention, and cisterns collect water for drinking and everyday use. Hundreds of pounds of aluminum cans have been recycled on the island thanks to the efforts of the student recycling program. Each class has a garden area on campus, and students have created a food and recyclable compost system.

st. thoMas, Virgin islands

St. Thomas is the gateway isle of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Though only 32 square miles in size, the island has an extraordinary variety of attractions and opportunities for its residents (and tourists) to enjoy, from beaches and water sports to shopping, dining, and history. With a population of around 52,000, the island is home to the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie.

Charlotte Amalie has been the heart of St. Thomas’ activities from colonial times to the present. Historic buildings found throughout the downtown area take visitors back to the Danish era when the town was a bustling port of trade, while modern additions of taxis, shops, and cruise ships in the harbor serve as reminders that it is tourism that currently drives the economy. Charlotte Amalie is home to almost half of the island’s residents, while the remaining live on the East End, West End, and North Side.

Historic buildings include a 1679 watchtower called Blackbeard’s Castle, in reference to the area’s pirate history. On the harbor, 17th-century Fort Christian is now a local-history museum. The second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and the childhood home of Camille Pissarro, one of the best-known French Impressionists, are just a few examples of the rich history and culture of the island.

St. Thomas is largely mountainous. Many roads around the island offer terrific panoramic views of the island and ocean. A water lover’s paradise, the island offers snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, kite boarding, sailing, fishing, kayaking, and parasailing. On land a world-renowned golf course and spectacular nightlife offer something for all interests.

The Cyril E. King Airport serves travelers coming to St. Thomas. Visitors staying on St. John and Water Island can easily day-trip to St. Thomas; daily ferry service is available. St. Thomas is connected to St. Croix by regular inter-island air service and a ferry.

oPPortunities and challenges

Opportunities for the next Montessori Director include:

• To be part of the growth and development of a school that can be a model for education in the region• To lead an already strong Montessori program to new levels of excellence• To embrace and be part of a warm, dynamic school and school community• To join a forward-looking, hard-working leadership team in building a comprehensive PreK-12

program• To grow professionally as a visionary educational leader• To contribute to the quality of overall education in the Virgin Islands, including program, teacher

training, and professional development



Challenges for the next Montessori Director include:

• Affirming and enhancing the strengths of the existing program, including mentoring teachers and leading appropriate professional development

• Being an ambassador for Montessori education, explaining and promoting as necessary• Helping to define what good Montessori education will look like in the future• Participating in the renovation and renewal of the campus as it looks to develop a facility that will

support its program• Recruiting and retaining excellent long-term teachers

desired Qualities and Qualifications

• Flexible, adaptable• An effective communicator, able to explain and promote Montessori philosophy and method • Cultural sensitivity, comfortable living in another culture• A growth mindset, visionary and passionate about good education and excited by the oppor-

tunity to be an active participant in the continuing development of the school• Montessori experience and training; AMI, AMS, or IMC certification preferred• Patient, calm, good-humored, optimistic• Team player and team builder• Strong people skills, able to work effectively with a diverse group of parents• Must be a U.S. citizen or be able to work in the U.S. (green card or equivalent)


to aPPly

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position• A current résumé• A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice• A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each

(references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

Art CharlesManaging Associate/International [email protected]

John ChandlerSenior Search [email protected]

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