ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY’s Head of School, Mr. Gerald Teramae, welcomed parents to the first Community Meeting of 2016-2017 on Wednesday, August 24. The purpose of the periodic community meetings is to inform parents of the progress and direction of the school, as well as to provide a forum for parents to ask questions and express concerns in an open and inviting atmosphere.
Mr. Teramae shared with parents the two-fold vision for educating the students of ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY. He first reiterated the primary vision of IPA, that of its mission to provide students with an academically challenging experience within the context of a values-based education emphasizing the core values of trust and respect, generosity of spirit, and the power of human kindness.
He then shared his vision for the future of IPA: to inspire, guide, and lead ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY to become one of the premiere independent schools in the nation. The path he envisions for achieving this goal includes producing superior results related to our school, having a distinct and positive impact on our community, and creating a lasting endurance, or legacy, for ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY.
“We are at the cusp of doing all these things,” said Mr. Teramae. “We need to work hard in achieving these three things, but the vision is right there within our reach. I truly believe we will be one of the premiere schools in the nation one day – and one day may be very soon.”
Elementary Principal Steve Ross was excited to share the innovative changes occurring in the elementary school. Elementary faculty are continually reflecting on the curriculum and programs they provide for the students and are always looking for new ways to enhance the experience. New this year are the Big Blue Blocks, which encourage imaginative play; the addition of 23 new iPads and the award-winning game system, Osmo; and the introduction of open seating in kindergarten and 4th grade classrooms, where many types of seating options are made available to the students.
“We’re letting kids move the way they do, learn the way they do. And with it comes lots of structured instruction,” explained Mr. Ross. “I’m really proud of our teachers for their innovative practices.”
Mr. Ross also addressed the question that was on the minds of many parents – the reasons behind the discontinuation of the IB Primary Years Program.
Mr. Ross explained that the educational practices of inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and the constructivist approach of IB PYP are highly valued, but the constraints of the program were not productive for the teachers and students.
“In the elementary division, we’ve learned the pedagogy and strategies from PYP and now it’s time for us to move beyond the parameters of IB PYP,” he explained. “We will continue to use those valued practices, but now our teachers will have more autonomy and control to better meet the needs of our students.”
In support of these changes, IPA has hired a new curriculum coordinator, Ms. Katie Ricca, to oversee the growth of the elementary program.
Ms. Kip Cummings, Secondary Principal, outlined the new facilities and program changes occurring in the upper division. The former library on the 3rd floor was recently converted to a new Student Center, designed with student input to provide a space to facilitate collaborative group work and social interactions between students of all grades.
Several international trips are planned for the year, including one to Mexico, and an an ancient civilizations educational tour to Italy and Greece during the Spring break.
One big change this year will involve student assessment. IPA will be discontinuing the outdated Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) in favor of a new generation assessment tool called Evaluate.
“ITBS results didn’t help faculty inform their instruction,” Ms. Cummings explained as the reason for the change. “Evaluate, a 21st century standardized testing tool, will better guide teacher to target instruction so we can provide personalized feedback for our children.”
IPA Community Meetings are held every 6-8 weeks in conjunction with IPAPA (IPA Parent and Teacher Association) meetings. The next meeting will be Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 6pm. Complimentary child care is provided during Community Meetings so that parents with young children can more easily attend. Advance notice of the meetings is shared with families in the weekly Friday eNews email. These meetings are an excellent way to stay connected to everything going on at the school and a great way to meet other ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY families.
