We are getting so close to the end of another wonderful school year. Please mark your calendars with the dates below for events and school happenings! As always, you will find our official academic calendaron our website, too.

May-June Last Weeks of School events:

ISLA Academy Summer Camp returns from June 25 - July 13, 2018, for children ages 2 - 10. Our Summer Day Camp is held Monday through Friday, from 9am until 3pm for three weeks. Please register in advance, and Contact us for more details.

April Calendar of Events at ISLA Academy

April 20 --- ISLA Academy's 1st Annual Art Exhibition 5:00-7:00 pm

Support our creative community. Join us at ISLA Academy Friday, April 20th at 5 pm for our ISLA Art Exhibition. Students have created unique works of art and played a role in organizing this special event,. The entire community is invited. Cost of admission is 150 pesos for adults and 50 pesos for children. A free drink or snack is included with the ticket and all proceeds benefit the ISLA Art Department.

April 23 --- World Book Day/ Storybook Character Dress Up

April 26 --- Presentation Day

April 30 --- Worker's Day NO CLASSES

The community is invited to ISLA Academy's annualOpen House, on Wednesday, March 21st, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Teachers and administrators will provide information about our rigorous high school program and our progressive preschool and elementary programs. We will explain project-based learning, the inquiry cycle, integrated curricula, and the many other ways in which ISLA Academy is providing a 21st century model of education.

Everyone is welcome, see you there!

We wanted to remind you all of several very important dates happening in the near future at ISLA Academy. As always, you may find our official calendar on the website.

February 22-24 - Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

February 26-27: Independence Day. NO CLASSES.

March 8: Presentation Day

March 16 : Notify ISLA Academy office of intent to re-enroll for 2018-2019 school year

Mar 26 - Apr 2, 2018 - SPRING BREAK - NO CLASSES

We are very excited to announce the hiring of our new music teacher, Mr. Tadeu DeMarco. Tadeu is an experienced music teacher, with nearly 40 years experience teaching and studying in the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Spain, and Canada. He also has an extensive history here on the North Coast, with experience teaching in a variety of schools and educational programs.

Tadeu's experience and passion for music will be a vital asset to our community of learners. In addition to leading classes for all of our students, he will also be offering after-school clubs and music lessons.

We invite all of our enthusiastic & musically inclined students to share their talent and expand their knowledge with our new program.

We are very excited to announce the date of our upcoming presentation, "The Path to University". The event will take place on Thursday, February 1st at 4:00 pm at the ISLA Academy campus. The entire community is welcome to attend and hear information about the following topics:

Our accredited diploma program accepted by ALL international, US, and Dominican universitiesHow our rigorous college-preparatory curriculum is built to ensure success at the university level How the majority of our academic curriculum is based on AP courses while incorporating research and presentation skillsHow each major course is designed to prepare students for the respective AP exam (ex. AP World History, AP Economics, AP Spanish) and how these classes lay the groundwork for students to have the ability to take many additional AP exams (AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, etc.)The scope and sequence of our middle and high school curriculumWhat families can do to begin preparing for the university admissions process How ISLA students are uniquely able to obtain additional high school credits for extracurricular activities (ex. tennis, photography, online university courses, work experience)ISLA's continued focus on helping our prospective university students stand out in the college application process

We look forward to seeing everyone there (especially the students)! For more information, call us at(809)571-4633 or email at islaoffice@islaacademy.com.

Happy New Year! We are so excited to see all of the smiling faces back on campus. The new year brings exciting new activities and a chance for our students and teachers to feel inspired to create new projects and ideas.

IMPORTANT DATES

The end of the third Unit of Inquiry and our first semester are rapidly approaching. The final day of this semester is January 26th. As always, Presentation Day will take place on the final Thursday, which will be on January 25th.

Don't forget that January 29th is a national holiday in celebration of the birth of Juan Pablo Duarte. There will not be classes on that day.

First-semester report cards will go out on February 9th and Parent-Student conferences will take place the week of February 19-23.

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join us on Thursday, February 1st at 4:00 pm at the ISLA Academy campus. The entire community is welcome to attend our event,"The Path to University", where we will outline ISLA Academy's unique college-preparatory high school curriculum, explain the incredible array of elective class opportunities available to our students, and give students and families a year-by-year explanation of what you can be doing to prepare for the university application process.

Please join us for our inaugural DINE OUT FOR ISLA ACADEMY on November 15, 2017, 5:00 pm , at STIX Asian Fusion Lounge at Ahnvee Resort and Sports in Sosua. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit your child’s education, with 25% of food and beverage receipts donated to ISLA Academy's Boost 2020 Campaign.

Boost 2020 is a newly launched campaign to raise funds for the expansion of ISLA Academy. Join us for a night out and an opportunity for family, friends and supporters of fine education and fine dining to come together to show your Support for ISLA Academy.

For more information about this event and other Boost 2020 initiatives, please contact Kim Thomas at boost2020@islaacademy.com.

Thank you for your ongoing support and participation in ISLA Academy events.

ISLA Academy is excited to announce the arrival of our new STEM teacher, Kate Watson. She will be teaching middle and high school STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Kate most recently built and developed the curriculum and science laboratories for another new international school in China.

Kate Watson is from Queensland, Australia where she completed high school and university with a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeological Science and Forensic Anthropology. Kate is eager to create a curriculum within the vision and ethos of ISLA Academy.

To learn more about Kate, you can read her full bio here on our website.

We are pleased to announce an innovative new partnership with Ahnvee Resort and Sports (Ahnveeresort.com). Ahnvee Resort & Sports is the newest all-inclusive resort in Sosúa on the North coast of the Dominican Republic. Ahnvee Resort & Sports offers unparalleled amenities for sports, fitness and dining. Ahnvee has generously offered their space and facilities for use by ISLA’s Physical Education and Health Programs.

Beginning this Friday, students from all phases will begin using these facilities as a part of our physical fitness programming, making use of both swimming facilities and providing yoga instruction on site. ISLA will arrange all transportation to and from the facility. We will notify parents prior to any student trips to the resort.

We would also like to take this opportunity to inform families of some of the services available through Ahnvee Resort and Sports that you might like to take advantage of. Every Friday afternoon Ahnvee hosts an after school celebration for kids from 3:00 pm on. Resort staff are onsite to provide fun and games for all ages, from 2 to 16. Parents are welcome to come and relax at one of the restaurants, enjoy a cocktail or snack while the children play.

Also coming up is Ahnvee’s Halloween Party. Add a mask and a costume to the mix to celebrate the holiday at Ahnvee.

If you have any questions about our programs and activities at Ahnvee, please feel free to contact Hazakyah Hardy-Dia at hazakyah.hardydia@islaacademy.com.

ISLA Academy is off to a great start in the new academic year. Classes are buzzing with energy and excitement as students learn, discover and play. The first Presentation Day was held in October, with students presenting their projects in front of an audience comprised of fellow students, teachers and family members.

ISLA Acadamy welcomes several new teachers to their team of international educators this year. Learn more about their professional credentials here on Our Team page.

Pictured below, Levi and Gaia at Presentation Day, partners on a learning project about modern versus Renaissance Age light sources. Collaborative learning at it's best, terrific team effort.

From May 12-15, 2017, ISLA Academy Phase 5 and 6 students climbed to the highest point in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, in the central mountain range of the Dominican Republic. They started their trip with a beautiful waterfall hike in Jarabacoa. On Day 2, they entered the national park and climbed nine hours until reaching the base camp of La Compartición.

Waking up at 3:00 am on Day 3, the team began their final ascent to the peak, at 3,087 meters! They returned to base camp that evening for dinner and celebration. On the fourth and final day, the students descended another 6 hours before returning triumphantly to ISLA Academy that afternoon.

Along the way, they saw unparalleled beauty. More importantly, they learned about themselves and what it takes to overcome challenges. We are all so proud of them!

After two months of rigorous training, the ISLA Academy gymnastics team traveled to Salcedo, in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic, to participate in their first competition, the '2nd Provincial Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament 2017', held May 5, 2017.

Under the leadership of team captains Samantha Biondi and Giulia Oliva, the team met early mornings, on the weekends, and after school to design and practice their choreography, mix their own music, and make their own uniforms.

In front of a huge audience at Liceo Cientifico, the team perfectly executed their routine and were awarded the top prize in their age group. We are so proud of the way they represented ISLA Academy. They are all excited to defend their title at the next competition in June.

ISLA Academy would like to welcome Lander Torfs to our staff. Lander is a talented teacher and gardening expert and will be leading several big projects over the course of his time at ISLA. He is very interested in sustainability and green gardening practices. Lander Torfs credits include:

2009- 2013 Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Ghent University in Belgium.

2013 – 2014 Certificate for Secondary Teaching at HES Gent.

Please give Lander a warm welcome on the ISLA Academy campus when you see him.

ISLA Academy has recently welcomed Hazakyah Hardy-Dia to our team of talented teachers. He is a longtime educator, with experience teaching sports, music, dance, drama, and English.

Hazakyah Hardy-Dia is a published author, a founder of the Dominican Republic's leading organization of English teachers, and a world-record holding professional boxer. Hazakyah has taught in this community for several years, in international schools and in his own boxing facility.

Along with Mr. Jerome, Hazakyah will be handling the majority of the enrichment classes offered to our students. Please help us welcome him to ISLA Academy! To learn more about our international team of educators at ISLA Academy, please visit the website page here.

ISLA Academy is sponsoring a student writing competition and community initiative, Be the Change Challenge. An amount of US $1,000 will be awarded to the winning proposal for a project that positively impacts the local community.

In essay form, participants should describe their project, how it will benefit the community, and how they plan to get it started.

Proposals will be judged by an ISLA Academy committee based on the following criteria:

Viability of the projectPostive impact on communityDetailed budget of how the $1,000 will be spent (Total budget for project should be US $1,000 unless student can provide details on how additonal needed funding will be raised).

Submissions may be in English, Spanish, and French. A hard copy of the proposal should be submitted to the ISLA Academy office or sent digitally to islaoffice@islaacademy.com.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: April 17, 2017

Due April 17

ISLA Academy students in Phases 4, 5, and 6 hiked Mt. Isabel de Torres this month as a team building experience. The hike was also training preparation for the Phase 5 and 6 students who will hike Pico Duarte within the next few months.

We had a great group of chaperones that also participated, and offer our appreciation to teachers and staff Paula, Rebecca, Delaney, Hazakyah, Khristiane, and Jerome for their effort, spirit and leadership on the hike.

Mt. Isabel de Torres is 793 meters high and is the highest point of Puerto Plata. Atop of the mountain, there is a botanical garden and a replica of Christ the Redeemer (similar to the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro). A teleferico (cable car) provides rides to the mountain top, and hiking is also permitted in this protected National Park. The views from the mountain top are spectacular, with Puerto Plata city and the Atlantic Ocean best seen below on a clear day.

Pico Duarte is the highest peak in the Dominican Republic, and all of the Caribbean islands in fact. The official elevation of Pico Duarte is recorded as 3,087 meters. We are proud of the ISLA Academy students that are training to reach this summit and applaud their efforts.

Christal Earle is an author & entrepreneur that believes in the limitless power of social change. In 2000, she co-founded an international youth empowerment humanitarian charity called Live Different. She has a podcast called "Finding Bravery" where she interviews innovative thinkers and communicators.

In an interview she speaks to Sean Bennett, Co-Founder and Director of ISLA Academy. Sean Bennett is an educator who is inspired to continue to shape the future. Sean and the ISLA Academy team are helping to shape a bigger vision of what education can look like in the 21st century.

In the episode, Sean talks about:

Shifting Your Own Narrative Around What’s Possible.The value of Vision.The journey that led him to start the first international, inquiry-based STEM school in the Dominican Republic.The words of encouragement that he needed to continue when he was ready to give up on his dream of starting ISLA Academy.

Third Presentation Day ISLA Academy in February 2017

ISLA Academy held Presentation Day for their third Unit of Inquiry on Thursday, February 2, 2017. Presentation Day is a chance for students to share their latest personal and class projects with their families and the community.

At ISLA Academy, students learn using the inquiry cycle. Every six weeks, the students focus their learning on a unique Central Idea, based on grade-level science and social studies standards. Working alongside a professor, students design and plan their own six-week projects, each one seeking to show the community the student’s understanding of the Unit’s Central Idea.

When studying a Central Idea, students are taught how to develop their own questions about the topic. They are encouraged to find the connections between the Unit content and their own lives. In addition to choosing the focus of their inquiry, they also play a role in the selection of their mode of presentation. This is especially important, as it allows for students to display their understanding using a variety of learning styles.

Once the focus of the project is selected, students write a ‘Driving Question’. This question is what drives the research and investigation of the project. Examples of strong driving questions include “Could the world ever adopt a universal language?”, “What can we learn from the fall of the Mayan Civilization?”, “How can someone become a billionaire?” “Why do I need to wear a bicycle helmet?”, and “How do we move big things?” Students and teachers use backward-design to plan the research and learning necessary to answer the driving questions.

Examples of the different ways that students have presented their learning include designing a board game, creating an educational online app, giving a TedTalk, writing and performing their own play, spoken-word poem, or rap-battle, designing an aquaponics system, or starting their own business.

Each Presentation Day, we see continued growth in our students’ learning, self-management, public speaking, research skills, and ability to make connections across subject areas. We welcome the entire community to come out and take the opportunity to meet our very talented students and to ask them challenging questions about their inquiries.

The next Presentation Day is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 1-3 pm.

More about ISLA Academy

ISLA Academy offers high-quality education for PreK to Grade 12 at their campus located in Cabarete-Sosua on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. ISLA Academy is a unique offering to the private, international schools of the Dominican Republic, providing a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum taught primarily in English, with an experienced team of internationally certified teachers from eight different countries.

A priority at ISLA Academy is providing high-quality, healthy food for our children. It is very important that children receive the proper amount of calories and nutrients in order for them to function at their optimum level. Our lunch program is largely vegetarian (with the exception of fish procured locally, and one free-range chicken day per month), we provide a variety of tasty, well-balanced meals using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

Our new chef, Paola Mallen, is a Santo Domingo native with a passion for healthy, fresh, delicious food. After finishing her culinary arts degree, she relocated to Cabarete where she has worked at Cabarete gourmet restaurants Miró, and Tabüle. In addition to her work at ISLA Academy, she currently has a personal project called @freshfoodbymallen where she offers services as a personalized chef.

Chef Paola is a lover of fresh food, made from quality ingredients, and we are very excited to have her on our team. Check out her Instagram feed for snapshots of some of the tasty dishes she's prepared for ISLA academy so far!

In the Domincan Republic, there is an expression at mealtime, "Barriga llena, corazón contento" which means "Happy heart, full stomach".

Photos by Olive Wang

At ISLA Academy, the New Year brought more opportunities for teacher collaboration across our campus. In January 2017, all of our teachers have spent time working with multiple classes. This creates consistency across the curriculum, encourages collaboration and connection, and gives our students a chance to experience the many talents of our entire teaching staff.

When teachers have opportunities to collaborate and observe one another, a welcoming environment is created that places an emphasis on quality results and working together. ISLA Academy offers progressive education on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, with classes taught primarily in English, from Pre-School through High School.

ISLA Academy has begun combining English classes with grades 1-3. We do this in level centers in order to teach more individually to the students. For example, some students work on phonics, some on guided reading, others work on reading comprehension and vocabulary. The students enjoy working in different groups and have been enthusiastic, reporting that it's "much more fun like this!". Children learn more easily when they are happy and engaged with the process.

A recent article in the journalStanford Social Innovation Reviewstated the following: “Teaching is not an isolated activity. If it’s going to be done well, it has to be done collaboratively over time. With collaboration, you are exposed to other teachers’ priorities and are better able to incorporate them to broaden your own approach in the classroom.”

ISLA Academy is proud of the diversity our teachersprovide, with a wide variety of teaching experience, and nationalities. Their excellence and professionalism is the common thread, and our students benefit immensely from what they all have to offer.

As we come to the close of our academic semester, we reflect on the highlights of our previous unit. It has been a unique and challenging time for our community as we faced difficult weather conditions that impacted everyone. In spite of it all, we were able to achieve and participate in many great events. The rainy months of October and November gave way to glorious sunshine and blue skies in December, and we made the most of it!

Student Activities

Student elections were held this unit. Candidates gave their campaign speeches, learned about the electoral process, and were chosen to represent their classmates. Students also designed and built a new compost system for our food waste and garden. Members of the Yearbook Committee started development.

As we like to stay active and engage with our community and environment, all students participated in a beach cleanup at nearby Playa Laguna. Our students worked together to make a big impact, picking up a lot of trash and plastic in one outing. Students collected recycled materials and built a Christmas tree from the materials with Miss Arianny. It was a lot of work, but our tree looks amazing (and so does the beach)! Students also organized a bake sale to raise funds for flood victims.

Holiday Fair

Our Holiday Fair on December 10 got everyone in the holiday spirit with some good old fashioned family fun. The free Holiday extravaganza was open to the public, and included such fun activities as a Visit and Photo with Santa, Reindeer rides, Face painting, Sean in the stocks, Elf hunt, Sack races, Holiday photo booth, Santa's mailbox, Cookie swap, Upcycled craft stalls, Holiday basket raffle and more! It was an event to remember, and we’re so pleased to have been able to celebrate the holiday spirit together.

Guest Lecture Series

During the months of November and December, we had a terrific lecture series (see November Happenings for additional guests). Some highlights include:

A Guest presentation from Sandra Weber, owner of Claro Café in Cabarete, who spoke to us about making choices to reduce her business's environmental impact on the community.

Guest lecture and science presentation from Dianna Cowern, AKA Physics Girl. She is a popular YouTube science personality, and spoke about how she does research and plans her many projects. She was joined by a mechanical engineer who discussed the design process with our students.

Guest lecture from Letti Pascuito, owner of Kana Rapai recycled art center. She taught our students about creative art using upcycling.

Guest cooking classes from local chef Paola and ISLA parent Odile Horjus.

Guest yoga instructor, Ms. Gabi joined us weekly to teach students of all ages about yoga.

Student Field Trips

ISLA Academy students had the opportunity to venture out into the community and learn about a variety of topics and engage with interesting people, doing interesting things, and help where needed. Our field trips related to topics being investigated on campus, so it was a wonderful opportunity to see ideas in action.

Field trip to the Mariposa Foundation to meet international muralistXaivier Ringer. She spoke to us about the impact that art can have on affecting social change in a community.

A field trip to the circus at Extreme Hotel to learn acrobatic techniques, expand our comfort zone by trying out the flying trapeze and build class unity.

Sosua Bay field trip to participate in standup paddleboarding with Pauhana Academy.

Multiple trips to the communities of Maranatha, Sosua Abajo, and La Cienaga to deliver food, mosquito nets, rain boots, and clothing to the victims of the flooding. These items were collected, organized, and distributed by students, parents, and teachers.

A visit to Charlie's Foundation in La Cienaga to deliver items to the children sleeping there temporarily due to the flooding of their village. Several of our students also went later to play games and sing songs with the children.

Field trip to a Fedujazz event to participate in a music workshop with musicians from the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival.

ISLA Academy is grateful to all of the friends we have made in the community that have made us feel so welcome, and have embraced our students.

Amazing! Thanks to all of the people that helped to enrich the learning experiences of our students, from the guest presenters to the parents that organized the events or provided transportation. Here's to another great term at ISLA Academy.

ISLA Academy held Presentation Day for the second Unit of Inquiry on Thursday, December 1. Students presented their learning and project development from the previous six weeks to their families and the community. Representative work was chosen from each grade level, and was on display around the school with teachers and students offering their unit projects for discussion.

Highlights included a performance by Phase 1 about feelings, a multimedia presentation by Phase 2 on Simple and Compound Machines (complete with a video, song and hand-made functioning objects), individual presentations from students in Phase 3 on such topics as Assembly Lines & Effective Systems, and presentations from students in Phases 4-6 that included endangered species such as the Panda, Rhino and Shark, the importance of upcycling & recycling, and an innovative game board contrasting science and religion.

The campus buzzed with excitement as the gathering at ISLA Academy provided an opportunity for families to share in the enjoyment of their children’s education. Presentation Day takes place on the final week of each Unit of Inquiry, and is a dynamic and engaging opportunity for parents to learn more about the day to day studies and projects of all the students.

More about ISLA Academy

ISLA Academy offers high-quality education for PreK to Grade 12 at their campus located in Cabarete-Sosua on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. ISLA Academy is a unique offering to the private, international schools of the Dominican Republic, providing a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum taught primarily in English, with an experienced team of internationally certified teachers from eight different countries.

The inquiry-based approach to learning utilized by ISLA Academy connects with a child's natural curiosity, and creates a culture of investigation and active knowledge-seeking. This approach encourages students to be participants in their own education, and nurtures the love of life-long learning.

November was an action packed month at ISLA Academy. We welcomed several important guest speakers, and led a fundraising and flood relief initiativefor those affected by the heavy rains that have seriously impacted our island.

Guest Speakers: Just Give Charity, Hollywood Pro, Ocean & Animal Preservation Experts

Family members from the charityJust Give visited us, and we were happy to share time with Adonie, 11, and Lydia, 8. They are brother and sister, traveling the world with their family, and have raised 1 million US dollars to donate to charities worldwide. They gave us a presentation with their Mom, and were a true inspiration to the children at ISLA Academy. To learn more, visit http://www.justgive.today/

Hollywood producer and cinematographer Zach Graber was in town for a reality television series filming in the area. He gave a cinematography workshop to our students in Phases 4-6, which was fascinating and exciting. Zach spoke about the art of filmmaking, the best techniques in filming to create different moods and effects, and other film industry insights.

Lidia Sophia, an Owl Expert gave students in Phases 1-4 a presentation about the Ashy-Faced owl that is indigenous to the Dominican Republic. She presented extensive information to the students, and they were allowed to safely handle Maku, the rescue owl. It was a terrific learning encounter for our students. Sadly, this breed of owl is endangered, and Lidia spoke about some of the reasons why, including the effects of human behavior connected to issues relating to the food chain (which ties in with our second line of inquiry at ISLA Academy).

Following this tutorial on owls, our Security Guard Francisco noticed something interesting in the garden, which led to further investigation and the discovery of an owl, high up in a tree at ISLA Academy. The students were buzzing with excitement about this sighting.

Dr. Gabriel Maldonado, a PhD Biologist, and former Director of the Liceo Cientifico School in Salcedo, Dominican Republic gave a 3-hour presentation to our students in Phases 5 -6 on parrot fish and their relation to coral reefs. It was an honor to host him as our guest, and our students learned a great deal about the ocean, and the importance of preservation efforts. The topic led to challenging questions by our students about the future of tourism in the Dominican Republic, and our responsibilities as World citizens.

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE! For all your hard work, support, time and positivity.

What a week it has been indeed! In total we have raised; RD$127,456 / US$2760

Here is an update of what exactly our ISLA community has been doing since day one on Monday, the 14th in regards to community flood support:

-Day 1 – Students visit Maranatha to talk to locals affected by flash flooding.

-Day 2 – Donations of food, clothes, and money come from many friends. From Maranatha church we distributed 100 food parcels, 80 bags of clothes. We cooked a hot meal of sancocho and fed around about 150 people.

-Day 3 – More donations received. A team of us went to investigate La Cienega and discover what the locals were in need of. We met a local parish who agreed to let us use the church as a distribution centre.

-Day 4 – Even more donations come in! Mass brainstorming and research, we source mosquito nets, rubber boots and mattresses. Charlie's Foundation contact us for support and we donate them food to help feed the 29 children they are housing. A group of us return to Maranatha after further flash flooding to speak with locals and the church. In the evening we purchase mosquito nets and mattresses and deliver the 10 mattresses to the church in Maranatha.

-Day 5 – Once again many more donations! We purchase 100 boots. A local supermarket donates 100 cartoons of orange juice. People return to La Cienega to speak with locals again and arrange to use the church in the evening. We cooked a hot meal and served it along with the juice from the church, feeding around 150 people.

-Day 6 – Still receiving donations! 2 donated mattresses are taken to Maranatha along with a big bag of children’s clothes. A few of us working with some local figures to return to La Cienega to wade knee deep in water into the homes of locals and distribute tickets for boots, mosquito nets and food parcels. In the afternoon we distribute 100 boots, 50 mosquito nets, 43 bags of food. We give 2 boxes of food to Charlie's Foundation.

Without doubt this has been a great success and it has shown the power of people coming together and the efficiency of community action!

For more information on how you can help, please contact us:Tel. (809) 571-4633islaoffice@islaacademy.com

Donations can be made here: https://www.youcaring.com/affectedpeopleinthedominicanrepublic-691943

ISLA Academy is collecting donations and goods to deliverto families affected by severe flooding in the Maranatha region of Sosua, Sosua Abajo and La Cienega village of Cabarete, Dominican Republic.

Please bring donations (suggested items below) to the ISLA Academy campus in Playa Laguna, Sosua. If you would like to contribute a monetary donation, it will be used to purchase necessary items from the list for people in dire need. Donations are being offered to families in cooperation with a local church

in the region, which ISLA Academy staff is collaborating with in our outreach effort.

Items needed: Matches, oil, rice, powdered milk, sardines, salami, candles, coffee, sugar, soap, antiseptic, toilet paper, blankets, sheets, clothing.

ISLA Academy staff, family and friends have been fundraising, preparing and delivering meals to families whose homes have been destroyed due to the severe flooding along the north coast region of the Dominican Republic.

For more information on how you can help, please contact us: Tel. (809) 571-4633 islaoffice@islaacademy.com

Cash donations can be made here:

Presentation Day, Halloween, Spooky Movie Night at ISLA Academy, October 2016

ISLA Academy wrapped up its first six weeks of the 2016-2017 academic year with the completion of the first Unit of Inquiry. Presentation Day was held to showcase students’ work, and student assessments were completed. Each presentation is assessed on the ability of the student to show deep understanding of the unit’s central idea. At ISLA, students spend each unit working on investigative projects. Students propose an idea and then meet with their teachers to develop project calendars, grading criteria, and a method of presentation. A high importance is placed creativity and planning. Sample presentations included a philosophical debate between two students acting as Rene Descartes and George Berkeley, a ‘Shark Tank’ agro-business proposal, and a Guide to Healthy Living pamphlet.

To celebrate the autumn season and Halloween, ISLA Academy held its 2nd Annual Spooky Movie Night Extravaganza on the lawn, on Friday, October 28. This year we showed the kid's Halloween classic, Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. This fun, family event was complete with a bouncy house, campfire and S’Mores, delicious snacks, fun activities, and even a ‘Thriller’ dance performance.

Halloween has grown in popularity along the north coast of the Dominican Republic throughout the years, and ISLA Academy happily joins in the fun. Encouraging children and staff to wear costumes to school, ISLA Academy celebrates Halloween in full glory. Students were invited to partake in trick or treating in the nearby communities of Sea Horse Ranch and Perla Marina after school, as well.

ISLA Academy continues with its academic mission of serious education as the students embark on their second Unit of Inquiry. A unique offering to the private schools of the Dominican Republic, ISLA Academy supports a child’s natural curiosity through inquiry and project based learning, maintaining a student’s love of learning while enjoying creativity and fun in a distinctive educational environment.

Presentation Day was held at ISLA Academy on Thursday, October 13th to present and celebrate the first six weeks’ Units of Inquiry. Individual students and class groups gave presentations for friends and family, highlighting their investigations. There are six Units of Inquiry covered in the academic year, each lasting six weeks.

Representative work was chosen from each grade level, and included song and dance, philosophy, and health and science. Student work was on display around the campus, with teachers and students offering their unit projects for discussion.

Presentation Day takes place on the final week of each Unit of Inquiry and is a wonderful opportunity for parents to see the work of their children and other students, while learning more about their day-to-day studies and projects.

This fun and dynamic gathering at ISLA Academy provided an opportunity for families to learn more about inquiry and project-based learning and share in the excitement of their children’s education.

More about ISLA Academy

ISLA Academy offers high-quality education for Preschool to Grade 12, at their campus located in Cabarete-Sosua on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. ISLA Academy provides a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum taught primarily in English, with an experienced team of internationally certified teachers from eight different countries.

A unique offering to the private, international schools of the Dominican Republic, ISLA Academy is the only institution that offers an exclusively inquiry-based method of learning. By connecting with a child's natural curiosity, an inquiry approach creates a culture of investigation and active learning that encourages students to be participants in their own education, not only in childhood but also throughout life.

We enjoyed the support of so many families at both of our recent Curriculum Nights at ISLA Academy. The incredible turnout underscored how parental involvement is a crucial factor for the academic success of any student. Reading to your child, participating in activities that stimulate and challenge them, spending quality time together for meals and recreation, and taking an active interest in their education all support their development in positive ways. We are so grateful that the students at ISLA Academy enjoy the care of such wonderfully invested and engaged families.

During both of our Curriculum Nights, we talked about common terminology found in our unit planners. From its origins with Socrates to the founder of modern education, John Dewey, inquiry-based learning is the posing of questions, problems or scenarios and investigating answers, rather than simply presenting established facts. A subject may be taught as a process and way of thinking – not presented solely as facts to be memorized, which can dampen the love of learning.

Inquiry has been used as a teaching and learning tool for thousands of years, however, the use of inquiry within public and private education has a much shorter history. Becoming increasingly mainstream, inquiry-based learning is commonly used in STEM Magnet schools, and academic research has continually shown that students at all levels of education can successfully experience and develop deeper level thinking skills through inquiry-based learning.

At ISLA Academy’s Curriculum Night, we previewed the six Units of Inquiry to be covered this year and discussed the stages of the Inquiry Cycle that each class will move through during a six-week unit. More importantly, ISLA Academy teachers and staff were happy to speak to parents in person about ways to support their own child’s learning while they are outside of the ISLA campus.

ISLA Academy is a unique newcomer to the current offerings of private, international schools available in the Dominican Republic. It is the only learning institution in the area using an inquiry-based method of teaching. ISLA Academy, located in Sosua-Cabarete, offers a high-quality, rigorous and personalized curriculum taught primarily in English.

International Teachers & Campus Expansion

The 2016-2017 school year is off to amazing start at ISLA Academy. We have nearly ten times as many students as we had at last year’s opening, and most importantly, there is an abundance of positive energy from students, teachers and staff that are ready to make this a truly special year. With 86 students in grades ranging from preschool through high school from 27 different countries, and 14 teachers from 8 different countries, our campus is uniquely diverse.

ISLA Academy is proud of our incredible team of educators. With experience teaching in more than 20 different countries, our team is highly-qualified and truly international. In addition, we feel confident in saying that they are one of the most skilled team of educators in the entire Caribbean. To learn more, you can see their bios here: Our Team

Our new Preschool is an addition that enjoys the attendance of our youngest students ages 2-3, led by teachers Anne Goosens of Belgium and Sandra Peralta from the Dominican Republic. The children have the opportunity to enjoy supervised play and exploration on our campus, and delight in a newly built casita and tranquil garden play-space created just for them.

We have expanded our ISLA Academy campus by opening an annex learning center which provides additional classrooms for our high school students. After School Clubs are a vibrant elective to our academic school offerings (and are open to students from other schools, all are welcome to register and attend). After School clubs at ISLA Academy include Soccer, Guitar, Art, Cooking, Chess, STEM, Tennis and more.

ISLA Academy is a unique newcomer to the current offerings of private, international schools available in the Dominican Republic. It is the only learning institution in the area using an inquiry-based method of teaching. ISLA Academy offers a high-quality, rigorous and personalized curriculum taught primarily in English.

We welcome you to visit us at ISLA Academy!

Complete with a swimming pool and lots of green space, the ISLA Academy doesn't look like an ordinary school. Actually, it strives to be anything but ordinary.

Housed in what had been a two-story home in the Playa Laguna community of Sosúa, the school serves approximately 50 families, primarily of North American and European backgrounds. The parents don't want an old-school approach for their children, says ISLA Academy co-founder Sean Bennett.

"The community is small but interested in new models of education," says Bennett, a lifelong educator originally from Brunswick, Georgia. "The parents are open to putting their kids into the 21st century. It's exciting to be an educator and to be able to do that. We're taking parents by the hand and walking them to a new form of education."

Students don't memorize. Rote learning is out. "That's how to kill the love of learning," said Bennett, who has taught in the U.S., Asia and Africa. "We favor concepts, the big ideas. We focus on helping students ask the right questions, investigate to find those answers, and then communicate their understanding."

The learning at ISLA Academy is personalized. Teachers use the inquiry method in their classrooms, with each student working at their own pace and learning the skills necessary to become a truly independent researcher. Every six weeks, the students work through a fully integrated transdisciplinary unit that incorporates not only all major academic areas, but also creative arts, self-management skills, and character traits.

In building the school's composting bin, for example, students incorporated math and geometry to determine measurements and angles. Through science they learned the process of composting—and what to do about the fruit-fly problem that often comes with composting.

"You can't just build a box and walk away," Bennett explained. "We get the kids building, presenting, communicating, collaborating."

Nature and protecting the Earth figure prominently in the curriculum, which emphasizes fun, hands-on, progressive and challenging learning.

"Children are powerfully affected — cognitively, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually — by their interactions with nature," Bennett said. "We sincerely believe that nature is the greatest teacher that inspires creativity and positivity."

ISLA Academy's physical education takes advantage of the same conditions that have made the North Shore an international watersports destination. The school offers surfing classes and hopes to add other watersports later. There's also kickball, soccer, hiking and capture the flag. Swimming lessons, starting at infant and toddler level, take place out front in the school pool.

"Being physically healthy is such an important part of living that it must be a central part of education," Bennett said.

Students will also be skilled users of computer technology while being "keenly aware of its dangers, opportunities and pitfalls," he added.

In addition to school faculty, volunteers share their knowledge with students. A professional musician from the US volunteered during the second semester to enhance the music program. A Russian biologist is working to develop an aquaponics system for the school garden. A retired U.S. expat involves kids in cooking in the school kitchen, the ISLA Café, which also serves up delicious vegetarian lunches for students and staff.

Bennett and his wife, Juliette Verville, also an international educator, opened ISLA Academy in 2015, offering preschool through high school. First-year enrollment reached 30 students, with an additional 20 in after-school clubs. In just its second year, enrollment has increased to nearly 75 students, with a waiting list for many of the classes.

The academy works closely with the fully accredited Clonlara School of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a pioneer in the home schooling movement. Bennett submits a plan for each student, communicates on his or her progress and assesses each student using U.S. Common Core standards.

Given some of the parents' transient lifestyles, the school ensures the children are at grade level should they return to their home country.

Bennett began teaching at age 16 as a youth mentor in his hometown. His career took him to South Korea, Vietnam and Tanzania. In 2012, he moved to the Dominican Republic and spent two years as head of the English Department at the country's first STEM magnet school, the Liceo Cientifico in Salcedo.

"Teaching and guidance were a part of me before I ever knew what I wanted to be when I grew up'," he said.

Bennett spent two years looking for an ideal site before choosing the 2,500-square-meter house with its inviting pool and spacious yard as ISLA Academy's home.

"It doesn't look like a traditional school, but it's just the right feel for us," he said.

Registration is open for the 2016-2017 academic year, for ages 2-18, classes begin August 29th. http://islaacademy.com.

ISLA Academy congratulates the founding class graduates of Liceo Cientifico, the first STEM + Green Magnet School in Dominican Republic. ISLA Academy Founder/Director Sean Bennett played an integral role in the development of Liceo Cientifico’s academic curriculum, and served as Head English Teacher for two years, prior to founding ISLA Academy in 2015.

President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina attended last weekend’s graduation ceremony at Liceo Científico, which is the first school in the Dominican Republic to specialize in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for gifted and talented students.

Many of Liceo Cientifico’s students excelled with high honors, and received full scholarships to colleges in the United States, and prominent universities in the Dominican Republic. Honor students included Marianny Vasquez Reyes, Jose Alfonso Diaz Polanco, Antonio Alberto Muñoz and Diana Hernandez, all scoring over a 96 grade-point average. Mr. Bennett’s former students from Liceo Cientifico participated in ISLA Academy’s first Summer Camp in 2015, and were a wonderful addition to campus life.

"My experience at Liceo Cientifico proved to me that the Dominican Republic was ready for a 21st century model of education” stated Sean Bennett. Bennett brings many years of experience in teaching and developing schools in the US, Asia, the Dominican Republic, and Africa. "There was no better introduction to the culture and people of the Dominican Republic than to spend two years with some of the best and brightest that this country, and in fact this world, has to offer" Mr. Bennett said of his time at Liceo Cientifico.

ISLA Academy is a unique newcomer to the current offerings of private, international schools available in the Dominican Republic. It is the only learning institution in the area using an inquiry-based method of teaching. Located in Cabarete-Sosua, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, ISLA Academy offers a high-quality, rigorous and personalized curriculum taught primarily in English. ISLA Academy has a campus that includes indoor-outdoor facilities, a swimming pool and is within walking distance to the beach. The perfect setting for young people to explore, discover and learn.

"So much of what we do at ISLA Academy is inspired by Liceo Cientifico, from the hands-on integrated learning, to the focus on outdoor education, to the philosophy that students should have a say in the development of their own education”, said Mr. Bennett.

ISLA Academy programs are available for students of all ages (2-18) during the academic year. Classes begin August 29th, 2016.

Summer Camp at ISLA Academy provides fun activities for children ages 1-8 years old in an idyllic setting located in Cabarete-Sosua, Dominican Republic.

Let your child’s imagination run wild as they experience summer camp and education in a completely new way. ISLA Academy Summer Camp gives children a diverse range of daily activities specific for each age group, and fun weekly field trips. Campers participate in excursions, regular swimming activities, horseback riding, beach picnics and exploration, music lessons, arts and crafts, organized sports, storytellers, hands-on science experiments, daily reading, dramatic play, cooking classes and much more.

ISLA Academy is an international learning center located in Playa Laguna in Cabarete-Sosua, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The campus is within walking distance to the beach, and includes a swimming pool, zip line and play-scape, organic garden, a villa with classrooms and learning spaces, and plenty of shade for outdoor recreation. ISLA Academy is founded and run by an American team of educators, Sean Bennett and Juliette Verville, and employs licensed international educators with experience teaching all over the world.

Summer Camp at ISLA Academy began July 1 and runs through July 29, 2016. Sessions are held Monday-Friday, 8:30am-3pm (half-day option also available). Campers are welcome to attend daily, or with a flexible schedule by request, inquire with us for full details and pricing.

ISLA Academy offers a high-quality, rigorous and personalized curriculum taught primarily in English. While the Summer Camp focuses on young learners, students of all ages (2-18) attend during the academic year. Classes begin August 29th, 2016. Hailing from eight different countries, our team is comprised of professional, experienced educators with a true passion for learning and inquiry. The academic calendar for the 2016-2017 year is available on the ISLA Academy website.

Enjoy the summer! We hope to see you soon.

Meet Ron! Ron is volunteering his time to help getting ISLA Academy's organic garden up and growing. He has been busy boosting our compost, readying the soil, planting seeds and teaching the children. Arugula and squash is already sprouting! Ron is also a talented musician who will be teaching some music theory with our older students. Please feel free to say hello when you see him around campus!

ISLA Academy elementary and middle school students hiked the Salcedoa Nature Preserve. A group of Mr. Sean's former students from the Liceo Cientifico joined the group as guides. It was a wet, muddy, difficult, beautiful, and triumphant day.

Our students visited the beautiful Wise Mountain Retreat to learn about organic farming and building from recycled materials. While there, we also enjoyed riding horses along the river. Our older students stayed through the end of the day to explore the river and to learn about a recent ecological disaster caused by irresponsible exploitation of the river bed.

As ISLA Homeschool Academy students dig deeper into their "Green" unit, in which they are exploring ways to lesson their footprint, raise consciousness on environmental issues, and give back to their communities, we were so excited to have a visit by Robin Wiszowaty of Free the Children and Me to We. Ms. Robin shared with us stories of her transformational year living with the Maasai tribe in rural Kenya, and how it opened her eyes and heart to the reality of the global injustices that impact our planet. Our students were able to share their projects and discuss ways in which each of us can change our perspective from me to WE. Thank you Ms. Robin for taking the time to inspire us all!

It used to be called homeschool. It still is at the time of this writing, I guess. But that’s not what it is at all. In fact, it looks almost nothing like homeschool. The students aren't at home, working out of an office, in the living room, or in their bedroom. There is no online login with a list of repetitive activities, unit “quizzes”, and a difficult-to-reach support person that grades your work. This isn’t a tutoring center where the majority of the teaching is actually left to the parents, or worse yet, to a textbook. No, this is nothing like that.

So, what is it then? While we may not have a good title for it yet, if you ask our students and teachers, they will all tell you that this is the future of education.

You might ask, “What could be so different about what you’re doing?” Lots of things. First and foremost, ISLA Academy students each play a major part in the design and implementation of their own education. Each student completes a series of in-depth, highly integrated projects based on their own particular areas of interest. With guidance from a team of experienced, progressive educators, the students pursue deep, driving questions that require them to learn more than just surface level content. Their research drives them to ask more questions and ultimately to present their learning in the context of their choosing. One student is producing a play on the perceived and unperceived differences between the touristy version of her home country and the “real” version. Another student is designing an interactive board game that calls on players to build their own civilizations while simultaneously avoiding the mistakes committed by the Mayans during their collapse. And what’s more, each of those students participated in the creation of a grading rubric to assess their own performance. They define what exemplary work will look like and then strive to achieve that definition.

Our STEM (science/technology/engineering/math) club is another major difference. Instead of pushing students to read a chapter in their textbooks or to listen to a monotonous lecture, we present them with a weekly design challenge. In groups, they run the stages of engineering by investigating their topics, imagining solutions and planning prototypes, building, testing, and finally improving their structure to complete the task. Groups then use their research and creations to explain the scientific concepts presented during the week, such as gravity, momentum, friction, or air resistance.

Much like many that have found creative ways to earn a living using the world wide web, our students have also discovered that there are a plethora of amazing online resources available to assist in their education. Using the best, research-based programs, our students complete math using the concept of a “flipped classroom”. They watch lectures, videos, and presentations on the various concepts for homework and then they actually do the work under the supervision of a team of math educators. In this way, the classroom time is utilized in a very efficient manner, where students have the opportunity to ask questions while in the process of solving problems.

For extracurricular activities, we believe in giving our students the freedom and support to pursue their passions in life. If they are into surfing, they spend their mornings at the beach earning credit in physical education and more. If they love horseback riding, playing the cello, basketball, or volunteering their time at a local orphanage, we give them the time to pursue those areas and the ability to receive academic credit for doing so. At ISLA Academy, we understand that education happens in lots of places, especially outside the classroom.

We also put a strong emphasis on language. Our students learn academic writing skills by dissecting model text types and using that analysis to write structured, organized essays that adhere to standards required for the SAT, TOEFL, and GRE exams. Just this week, our students broke down an essay on the merits of school uniforms and then wrote their own essays about the societal effects of violence on television and the pros and cons of reuniting North and South Korea. In addition to academic writing, our students also regularly participate in creative writing activities, often at our “classroom” on the beach at Playa Laguna. We also schedule several hours each week for Spanish classes. Students learn grammar and vocabulary through online games and instruction and participate in conversation and listening activities with our native Spanish teacher. Students also regularly participate in sports and gardening with our support staff, giving them opportunities to use learned vocabulary in a real context.

If you’ve read this far, maybe you have an idea about what we should call this type of education. Let us know by dropping me an email at director@islaacademy.com or better yet, come by and see us in action. Our doors are always open. Education is a community affair!

At ISLA Academy, our students are eager to learn. Our teachers are dedicated. Our playground and facilities look better and better each day. We are also continuing to welcome new students as the weeks go on. To say the least, everyone is smiling and enjoying our time learning here at ISLA Academy. As the school’s Curriculum Coordinator and the preschool’s Head Teacher, I would like to welcome you all to our first edition, of the preschool monthly blog! My assistant teacher and local Dominican, Ms. Arianny would also like to welcome you! It has been a busy year so far!

We have been getting to know each other and we have been learning new routines around school. We have also been learning new vocabulary words/concepts, the Common Core subjects of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and math. Science and Social Studies have also been a focus. We have been exploring in the arts of music, visual arts, and drama. We also know that our physical health, emotional health, and social skills are important focuses. In addition, importantly to mention, we have been learning most of this bilingually in both English and Spanish. It’s important at this age to talk about sharing, taking turns, and learning correct questions or statements that tell us nicely how we feel. We might ask, “Please may I say something?” instead of interrupting. We might ask, “Please may I use that?” if we would like to play with a toy our friend is playing with. We also might say, “Please don’t do that,” if what someone is doing is bothering us. These are simple, but nice ways we can get our point across to our friends.

Our big 9-week social studies unit asks us to explore our histories, our families, and who we are. We have been looking at baby pictures and describing how we have grown and changed since we were babies. We have looked at pictures of people in magazines and sorted them and spoke about what parts of the family they might represent. We have been interviewing our family members and asking about activities we loved to do together when we were babies, because we can’t quite remember that well.

In reading, we have been reading books about growing plants, tadpoles changing into frogs, and discussing our connections to these texts. We have been pointing at pictures, making predictions, and discussing the plots of the stories. We have been associating words with pictures, which is helping us learn colors, shapes, our names, and various sentences or questions we have been saying a lot in class.

In writing, we have been using our fingers to “write” notes to our parents in the sand. We are constantly working on our speaking skills as we have to explain ourselves, how we are feeling, and give answers we have to questions. We listen to how everyone is feeling, we listen to directions, we listen to stories, and we listen to music.

For science, we have included the “growth” concept in our learning by reading books about plants, animals that grow, and we have even planted our own seeds. Every day we observe our plants and discuss any changes we see. We have also been very busy studying math concepts. We are practicing counting objects to help our concept of how the number “1” actually means “one thing.” We are counting beans, rocks, coconuts, blocks, and anything else we can find. We are also looking at patterns around school. We understand that patterns are everywhere. We can even make our own patterns! We have been making patterns with colored Unifix cubes. They are really fun, but still a difficult task. We have also been using mathematical vocabulary to discuss things we do “before” school and “after” school. We have been talking about who has “more” or “less” rocks. We have also been talking about who is “first” or “last” in lines to lunch. During our calendar time we have also been talking about what we did “yesterday,” what we will do “tomorrow,” and also what important events might be coming up “next week.”

We have been listening to music and showing our feelings about a particular song by drawing, dancing, or explaining how it makes us feel. We have been creating art by learning simple shapes and using them to create drawings of houses, people, or airplanes. We have been acting in drama class by acting like animals, a tree, or like were in a moving car driving to the beach. Also, we just love using our puppets to imitate voices and pretend to be animals or other people. We have been focusing on our physical health by eating (and cooking!) healthy meals and exercising by moving our bodies, jumping, skipping, or swimming. Our Spanish program is also unique as we try to make everything as bilingual as possible. Instructions are given in both English and Spanish. During read aloud, the stories are spoken in both languages. Around the classroom, some of our phrases and vocabulary are in English and Spanish. When just playing outside, we try to talk to our friends in both English and Spanish. Families have already spoken of improvements of our non-native languages being spoken at home. This is great news! Most of all, we are having fun! Come see us anytime! Gracias and enjoy yourselves out there! ☺ Mr. Franco and Ms. Arianny

ISLA Playschool Academy is starting off it's Friday series of Mommy and Me classes this Friday, September 11. Our first class will be Music Makers with Ms. Lindsay. Join us as we sing, play instruments, dance and giggle together! Each week of the series will offer fun and exciting opportunities for your little one to learn, explore, and socialize. We are looking forward to Fridays full of art, science, tumbling, yoga, and storytelling. Contact us today for our Fall Session discount!

ISLA Academy's first annual Back to School Potluck Picnic this past weekend was a great success. We had the chance to meet many so many lovely families. Children played while parents mingled, and all the food was delicious! Thank you to all of you who came. We feel very thankful to be part of such a warm and supportive community. Until the next fun evening on the lawn!