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Our AdministrativeTeam
Sean Bennett
Director, Co-founder
Bachelor of Education, University of Georgia, USA
I began mentoring the youth in my hometown of Brunswick, Georgia when I was just 16 years old. Teaching and guidance were a part of me before I ever knew what I "wanted to be when I grew up". I worked at after-school and summer camps, led youth group activities, and umpired local youth baseball games until I entered the University of Georgia on scholarship.
Once there, I began my studies in Early Childhood Education. My courses focused on educational psychology, special education, multiculturalism, and mathematics. During my time as an undergraduate, I began working for a state-funded mental health organization providing group activity therapy to children with emotional behavior disorders. This experience eventually led me to begin offering counseling in the homes and schools of these young people. I worked closely with licensed counselors to develop behavioral goals. I then assisted the children in achieving those goals in their homes and communities.
One year before graduating, I began offering counseling to foster children and their estranged parents with the goal of family reunification. I assisted parents with their court-mandated case plans and provided parenting classes to improve success rates after reunification. I also worked with the foster children to help re-build relationships with their birth parents while also maintaining a positive experience at their foster placement. On weekends, I ran "The Granny House", a small home placement for foster children that had no other place to go. While the youth were there, I served as their parent, mentor, teacher, and counselor until we could find a relative or foster home for them.
Seeing a need in our community to provide alternatives to incarceration for our teenagers, I started Impact Counseling and Consulting. Shortly after the project began, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia and then began studying Law at Georgia State University. Within 18 months, Impact Counseling was the largest provider of counseling to juvenile offenders in northeast Georgia. We were able to keep 183 of our first 200 clients out of juvenile detention centers. To do this, I led group counseling sessions on issues ranging from anger management to substance abuse. I also provided college and career counseling, GED training, and job placement assistance.
In 2008, I moved to South Korea to teach at English Zone Academy. While there, I developed the curriculum and initiated adult English classes for local chemical engineers. I also provided one-on-one counseling and English lessons to Korean students seeking to study in the United States.
In 2010, I began teaching IELTS training classes in Vietnam to students intending to study internationally. In addition, I served as the English language professor at Infoworld University. When possible, I also taught both elementary and high school classes at the American International School in Ho Chi Minh City.
After leaving Vietnam, I was chosen to be a principal for the brand-new satellite Primary School campus of an international school in Tanzania. While there, I developed the administrative and physical structures of the school. I improved upon existing policies from the school's main campus and helped to push advancements in the areas of parent involvement, cross-curricular learning, health and hygiene, and green practices. I assisted in the design of after-school programs, a winter camp, a school playground, and football fields. During my tenure, our school was the fastest-growing international Lower Primary school in Tanzania with consistent growth rates of 15% over the first three years.
I spent 2014 and 2015 as the Head of the English Department for the Liceo Cientifico in Salcedo, Dominican Republic. The Liceo Cientifico is the Dominican Republic’s first STEM magnet school in the country. There, I developed the most rigorous English curriculum in the country, using proven methods of assessment. I designed entrance exams, led workshops in teacher training, and, most significantly, prepared my students to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the prerequisite for entering any international university.
I now seek to share with other educators my experiences in developing schools and counseling programs in the US, Asia, the Dominican Republic, and Africa. I have two beautiful children and an unquenchable desire to provide a world-class education to them and our community. I believe in setting high expectations for all learners and emphasize teaching students to be stewards of the earth. My experiences serving students from a variety of abilities, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds has led me to be a staunch advocate for teaching to an array of learning styles.
Rebeccca Baker de Martinez
Director of Academics
Bachelor of Arts, Primary Education, Birmingham City University, England
Hey, My name is Rebecca Baker de Martinez, and whilst I am originally from a small town in the center of England, I have lived and taught here on the North Coast, with my identical twin sister, since 2011.
During my time here I married my wonderful husband and have become a mother to three beautiful children! I founded ‘Cabarete Playgroup’ years ago to allow parents and their little ones to meet, chat and play on the beach. I threw myself into Dominican life right from the beginning, by residing in a local ‘barrio’. This is where I was able to learn Spanish, immerse myself in the local culture and build my family home.
Since graduating with a BA (HONS) in Primary Education back in 2009, I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to teach in a range of age phases, from three-year-old preschool students to Seventh Graders. I have taught at International Schools here on the North Coast since I arrived all those years ago and have felt privileged to meet so many inquiring young minds and their supportive families. I am so excited about the existence of ISLA Academy and am thrilled to be part of an excellent team of educators filling an educational gap that had been felt within the community for quite some time. When I am not in the classroom, you can find me in the office, where I act as Director of Academics. Please do come by and say hello!
In my spare time, I like to get creative, drawing, painting and making party decorations are some of my favorite things to do. I am very much looking forward to this jam-packed academic year and all of the fun that we will have along the way!
Amanda Bucci
Director of Operations
Bachelors in Sociology with a Minor in Women’s Studies, UC Santa Barbara
Some years ago, our daughter Gaia came to me as a disgruntled second grader in her rural public school in the countryside of Puerto Plata and told me, “My school is no longer stimulating my brain”. I knew that if she was 7 years old and was conscious about stimulating her brain, that I would have to find a better solution for her education.
A few months after her stern declaration, we were lucky enough to meet Sean Bennett, the Director of ISLA. We sat down, talked about education and about his vision for the newly opened ISLA. At that moment I knew that ISLA was an incredibly special place that would offer our daughter what she needed, what she deserved; an education rich with critical thinking, creativity, engagement and all within a space that made her feel safe to take control of her own education and to be a member of a special community. Fast forward to today, and as she enters her 9th grade year, we couldn't be happier with ISLA and the incredible learning opportunities that ISLA has provided her.
After working as a Program Coordinator in the nonprofit world in the DR for the last 10 years, it was a no-brainer that ISLA was the perfect fit to utilize my skill sets, while soaking in these last precious years that I have with Gaia.
I have spent my adult life dedicating my time to successful project development in a number of areas; traveling on a shoestring through the developing world, working at a grassroots level and connecting with people in a meaningful way, while always maintaining a deep consciousness of environmental sustainability for future generations.
I am fully committed to ISLA, its mission and couldn’t be happier to be a part of the team!
Nykia Blue
Director of Finance
Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Dillard University
Hello! My name is Nykia Blue. I was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, where I studied at Dillard University, earning a bachelor of science in accounting. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 20 years and our daughter is thriving at ISLA Academy. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, relaxing on the beach, and cooking Cajun/creole cuisine, inspired by my lovely hometown.
I am a successful accounting and finance professional with 15+ years of experience, more than 10 of those years in the education industry. I have been effectively involved in the start-up of a charter school in New Orleans, LA that grew to four schools during my time there, where I was the Director of Finance. I then moved to Atlanta, GA as the Controller for a cluster of nine KIPP Metro Atlanta Charter Schools, where I ran the finance and accounting department. After 4 years in Atlanta, my husband and I decided to move our family to the north coast of Dominican Republic for a change of life, culture, and experiences, especially for our daughter. During our research and visits, we fell in love with ISLA Academy and decided to make this our home.
Although I work behind the scenes, and not directly with the students, I always have the student’s best interest at the top of every financial decision that needs to be made. I believe in ISLA, its mission and vision, and our students and families. I look forward to seeing and working with all of you.
Rachael Baker de Soler
Director of Primary/Elementary.
Teacher
Bachelor of Arts, Primary Education, Birmingham City University, England
Hello. My name is Rachael I am originally from England. I knew from an
early age I wanted to be a teacher, so after college I went on to attend university. I went on to gain a BA (Honors) degree in Primary Education specializing in Early Years in 2009. I taught in a range of schools, and have experience teaching children from 2– 11 years old. For our family holidays, we usually stayed close to home and visited Spain, Portugal, or one of the Balearic or Canary Islands. This was until one day my mum saw an offer in the
travel agent’s window that she couldn’t pass up. Our first vacation to the Dominican
Republic was back in 2006. There was a special charm about this small Caribbean
island that inspired me to return, which I did for many years until together with my identical twin I took the plunge and moved to Cabarete at the end of 2011.
With only what we could fit into a suitcase we flew 9 hours, over 4,000 miles from home to see where Caribbean life would take us. After only a month I began working at an international school here on the North Coast. I was a third-grade homeroom teacher for four and a half years. During that time, I got married and my husband and welcomed our three inquisitive children, a true blessing.
I am so thrilled that they have the opportunity to have such a hands-on, child-
centered education, such as is offered here at ISLA. I am a firm believer that children learn by ‘doing’ therefore I believe that using inquiry to allow children to ask and answer questions about the world around them is a fantastic way to engage children and help them to learn2love2learn.
I am very much looking forward to this next academic year, my eighth year teaching at ISLA Academy.
Franco Rodriguez
Curriculum Coordinator
Master of Education, University of Northern Colorado, USA
Bachelor of Science, Colorado State University, USA;
Hola! My name is Franco Rodriguez and I am very excited to work with ISLA Academy. I am from Colorado in the United States, but most recently, I worked in Shanghai, China, where I taught in IB-PYP international schools for five years. Prior to China, I lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for two years where I taught in an IB-PYP candidate international school, and in Seoul, South Korea teaching at an English language school for one year.
My IB-PYP experience has been extensive and rewarding. I really believe in the IB-PYP curriculum as it promotes the development of each student’s intellectual, emotional, social, and physical self. Students will inevitably become caring, active, life-long global learners. IB-PYP uses an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning that encourages students to think about their prior knowledge, ask questions, find out new information, sort that information, decide how they can further their knowledge or skill acquisition, reflect on what they have learned, and take action with local or global issues.
My experience with the IB-PYP curriculum includes planning and collaboration with teachers and administrators both in the school and at various regional conferences and professional development opportunities. I have attended IB-PYP sanctioned conferences on Concept-Based Learning, Language in the Classroom, the beginner course called Making the PYP Happen, Assessment, Transdisciplinary Learning, and other non-PYP sanctioned conferences such as Differentiation in the Classroom. At each of these, I was able to meet other PYP teachers in China and across Asia, discuss how they interpret the PYP teaching and learning, and gain resources and ideas of how to implement PYP in the classroom.
In addition to my experience inside of schools, I have tried to use my free time in creative and helpful ways in my community. I volunteered at orphanages in South Korea and Vietnam teaching students about music and reading to them. In Shanghai, I helped form a folk band, wrote many songs in five years, and played for many audiences surrounding Shanghai and Beijing. With that band, we toured Mongolia and stopped in at orphanages and shared our musical experiences with them as well.
Victor M. Rojas
Administrative Assistant
Cabarete Campus
My name is Victoriano (everybody calls me Victor) I am a detail-oriented person with a passion for understanding my inner self, growing to empathize with the needs of others, and a well-defined idea that knowledge eliminates frustration and misunderstanding. I am excited about serving the entire school community, my ideal position is the one I do every day where I can serve all aspects of the school, contributing my knowledge and work ethic to this organization that is doing important work in the world and individually in the live of each family that choose ISLA Academy to be part of their children's education.
Laura Bencosme
Campus Coordinator - Las Terrenas
Ecology & Environmental Management, la Pontificia Universidad Catholics made y Maestra, Dominican Republic
I began working with children in June 2012, when I had just turned 15. I worked as a teacher assistant in a summer camp in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I remember feeling very nervous and scared, as it was my first formal job ever. After the first day, those feelings of nervousness started transforming into feelings of passion and curiosity for what I was doing. I remember at the end of that first experience, being awarded outstanding employee of the summer camp, and that’s when I started believing in what I was doing and seeking to learn more from it.
After that first experience, I worked for different summer camps around the country, in Jarabacoa, San Cristobal and Santo Domingo. In Jarabacoa, I worked in a four-week long summer camp called Baiguate, in 2014 and 2015. In this particular work experience, we had to stay for a month in Jarabacoa, being 24/7 with our group of kids and mentoring them every single day. Living for a month with these children was yet another experience that touched my heart and motivated me to keep working in the presence of children. Baiguate’s motto is “Quiero, puedo y soy capaz” , which translates into “ I want, I can, and I am capable of doing so”. This motto forever inspires me, and reminds me that everyone, including children, can pursue their dreams.
As I graduated from highschool, I had no clue what I wanted to study. Therefore, I decided to go for a cultural exchange program, in which I went to live abroad for a year in Belgium with a host family. During that year, I became fluent in French and worked as an assistant in a center for mentally handicapped adults , which works towards providing a space where they can perform activities such as cooking, art, music and other fun things. I also lived in a permaculture based community during this time, which led me to decide where I was going regarding my university studies.
I came back to Santo Domingo in 2016 and decided to pursue a career in Ecology and Environmental Management in la Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra of Santo Domingo. I got a full scholarship for my four years of studies, and concluded my studies in November 2020. During my college career, I interned at the Botanical Garden of Santo Domingo, volunteered for an organization called Ser Eco, created my own jewelry business called Memoria del Agua , worked for Genius Academy summer camp as an environmental science teacher, created my own gardening workshops at home and pursued my Permaculture Design Certification.
I started as a volunteer in the ISLA family, providing a gardening workshop for the elementary class and a presentation on my bachelor thesis and ecology to the highschool students. In January 2021, I officially became part of the ISLA family , working with the Casita (Pre-k) group in Cabarete. I joined ISLA Las Terrenas team in February 2021, as an elementary teacher for Kinder-2nd grade. I am happy to be part of this family, and would like to keep integrating ecology with education, teaching kids to be guardians of the Earth and enjoy the process of learning.
Marie Manavella
Administrative Assistant
Las Terrenas Campus
Master in l'université de lettre d'Aix en Provence in International Negotiation with a specialization in Chinese
My name is Marie, and I'm originally from France. I've been living in beautiful Las Terrenas with my husband and son since 2017. The Dominican Republic has truly become my home,and I'm so happy to be here. I hold a Master's degree, and I'm a certified teacher of French as a Foreign Language (FLE). My son, Louis is in phase 6 in Isla Academy and as a mother I love the way of learning here and the open-mindedness that is given to them.
I'm incredibly excited to begin my new role with the Isla Academy staff. I'm looking forward to contributing to this wonderful educational community. My goal is to give my very best and to ensure that our collaboration is filled with joy and positive energy. I firmly believe that learning should be a positive and enriching experience for everyone.
Juliette Verville
Co-Founder
Bachelor of Arts, Mercer University
Cabarete Campus
Co-founding ISLA Academy was an honor and a privilege, and the most beautiful culmination of an incredible career of cross-cultural education. With an academic background in art and philosophy, the professional career and personal experience of teaching internationally, from Europe, to Asia, to Africa, to Latin America, nothing could've prepared me better for the task of building a school from the ground up. What. A. Journey! From being invited to be co-directors with a seasoned school director, to Sean and I realizing we could do it better on our own, to scouting locations with an infant and a toddler, to starting at ground zero with all the cards stacked high against us, to those first pupils passing through the doors, to the credibility we built with every family we touched, to create a beautiful space that exists today where children are met and valued as they are... as we say here in the DR, "Ufffffff" I remember the days of my youth when I dreaded school, made up reasons to not go, faked fevers, skipped classes. Why? Because school, as an institution, was a joke. It didn't serve us, it didn't prepare us, it didn't care about us. (Some incredible teachers notwithstanding, of course.) So, when the time came for Sean and I to create a school for this community, for our children, for your children, we had to decide what really matters. We had to figure out how to create a space where kids LOVE to learn. So here we are. My children go to school happy and excited. They learn at their own pace. There's no state standard that says they're "above" or "below". Their natural, intuitive inclinations are given attention. They dive deep where their interest is piqued. They're not stressed by rote memorization or irrelevant facts, not by homework or upcoming tests. They ask deep questions and come up with deeper answers. They are thriving. They love learning; in fact they LOVE learning. And from the bottom of my heart, I hope yours are LOVING it, too.
