Category Archives: Uncategorized
Spring 2012 Has Arrived Safe and Sound!
The Spring 2012 Island School semester has officially begun! Here is a photo of the group at the Welcoming Ceremony in the Boathouse. It’s going to be a great semester!
Gap Year Program Update #3
It’s hard to believe it, but we’ve reached the middle of our time here. Looking ahead, we really need to make the most of our remaining time. Looking back, we had one heck of a week!
[slideshow]
We began work in earnest on our Independent Student Projects, meeting with our respective mentors to figure out what form our end results will take. My mentor, Ian, seems pretty gung-ho about posters, so that’s what I plan on doing. We also continued to play host to the Warner family, eventually meeting with them regarding their assignments. I can’t vouch for the other mentor/mentee meetings, but this was a great chance for us to step into the shoes of a teacher and–in turn–a wonderful learning experience.
But the real highlight of the week was our Down Island trip. We headed out at the crack of ten on Thursday, ready for an adventure. And boy, did we ever find it! In the space of three endless days, we: Continue reading
Island School Parent’s Inspiring TED Talk
Ernie Parizeau, parent of IS alumni Kate (F’03), Doug (S’06), and Molly (S’10), gave a great TED talk at Middlebury College this fall titled “Fortune Favors the Bold”. Check it out!
Putting Schools To Work
The Island School is proud to announce the launch of the Putting Schools to Work website. This consortium of like-minded institutions that focus on teaching leadership by allowing students to tackle real world problems and issues through research and human ecology projects serves as a model of what education can be, when schools get out of the way. The projects featured on this site were presented at the first Leadership in Education conference held at The Island School in the Spring of 2011. Putting Schools to Work is a component of a new Wilson Family Center for Leadership in Education funded by Floyd and Kim Wilson. We invite you to watch videos, read articles, and learn more about what other schools and programs are doing to empower students, all on this site. Enjoy!
Job and Internship Opportunities with the Cape Eleuthera Island School
We are currently accepting applications for a number of positions with The Island School, Cape Eleuthera Institute, and Deep Creek Middle School. Please see below for each position for more information and links to applications.
Island School Teaching Positions
The Island School is currently accepting applications for full-time Literature, Histories, and Mathematics teachers for the 2012-2013 school year. More information about the job and how to apply can be found on our website.
Island School Master Teacher in Residence
The MTiR position is a semester-long position designed for educators with at least 8 years if experience who are craving the opportunity to mentor young teachers and experiment with vanguard ideas in teaching. The Island School is currently accepting applications for master teachers in all disciplines for the 2012-2013 school year. More information about the job and how to apply can be found on our website.
Island School Teaching Fellowships
Year-long teaching fellowships are great entry opportunities for young professionals new to teaching. The Island School is currently accepting applications for fellows in all disciplines for the 2012-2013 school year. More information about the job and how to apply can be found on our website.
Deep Creek Middle School Social Studies Teacher
In this position, you will utilize a variety of instructional strategies consistent with the DCMS mission to teach national curriculum and the core values of the school. Our curriculum and pedagogy allows for a lot of flexibility as teachers focus on the real world concepts, skills and values that the students will need to be successful community members. Place and project-based lessons with experiential components are used to engage students. For more information and how to apply can be found on our website.
Cape Eleuthera Institute Spring, Summer, and Fall 2012 Internships
The Cape Eleuthera Institute offers college students a solid internship program that provides real work experience, professional development, outdoor exploration activities, and access to professional networks while living on a beautiful green campus with diverse people from all over the world. For more details and to apply online visit our website. Limited scholarship opportunities are available.
Personal Statement from a NYHS Student’s Trip to Island School
[slideshow]
The New York Harbor School (NYHS) is a public high school located on Governors Island off the southern tip of Manhattan. Founder, Murray Fisher, connected with The Island School over 8 years ago during NYHS’s inception as a resource on how to develop a non-traditional education organization in a traditional setting. Over the years NYHS has sent numerous faculty members to The Island School’s annual Teacher Conference and has sent even more students to Eleuthera for semester, summer and SCUBA programs. Every winter, NYHS flies south to Eleuthera to complete SCUBA certification for its students. These kids use the skill to help do research back home. One of the major projects is the restoration of oyster beds in the Hudson–read more here! This February we hosted another great group and wanted to share one student’s personal reflection on the trip–it really highlights the value of our partnership and why we continue to find ways to help it grow.
“Here I am at the edge of our dive boat ready to make my first descent into the open water. Secluded on an island in the Bahamas with several other minority students, we are far from the low income urban environment in which we are used to living. I sit on the edge of the boat with my back against the wind while the cool Bahamian breeze sneaks under my ears and over my shoulders. I am so eager to get into the ocean and explore. It looks like a giant, sprawling pool. As the warm bright sun beams on my tight dive suit hugging my skin, a twenty pound air tank on my back, and my hair brushed into a tight ponytail, I think to myself how did I get here? Before this trip I never had the opportunity to venture outside of the U.S. Continue reading
Another Successful IS Admissions Reception–Easton, MD
We had yet another great Winter Reception held in Easton, Maryland at the Koch’s home on January 31. There was a great turn out from many interested families and a few familiar faces: Charlie Fitchner (F’10), Scott Endzel (F’10), Kristen Treat (Su’10) and Skyler Hopkins (F’02). Long-time friends and supporters of The Island School, Tom Stanley and Jennifer Stanley also attended the reception and received Cape Eleuthera Foundation pins. A big thank you to Chris and Sarah Koch for hosting such a fun and successful event!
[slideshow]
DCMS Grade 8 School Without Walls
DCMS students are currently studying in their School Without Walls unit. Grade 8 is looking at the effect of plastics on the environment, ocean and human health. They are conducting sand samples at local beaches, trawling for plastic in the Exuma Sound gyre and will be writing speeches that encourage individuals to make a change to tackle the pervasiveness of plastic. At the end of their unit, they will conduct a youth conference to share their knowledge with other young people in Eleuthera.
[slideshow]
Williams College Spends Another January Term at The Island School
For the eighth year, Sarah Gardner of Williams College brought a January term class to stay at The Island School and research different topics. Last year, this class studied how agriculture on Eleuthera could be revitalized, and this year, continued that work by addressing three main issues: fruit and vegetable processing and slaughtering, increasing youth involvement in farming, and changing the packing house system. Local farming on Eleuthera plays a vital role in increasing food security and reducing import dependency, as well as providing economic opportunities for young people. The students remark:
[slideshow]
“To better understand these issues, we conducted field research and interviews with restaurants, farmers, government officials, and high school students. Shaun Ingraham was instrumental in helping us set up interviews with high school students, Continue reading