High School Graduation

Small in number, mighty in personality - we had three amazing graduates from our high school program this year.  This is the first year we had multiple graduates from our VHS program.  These girls were the pioneers when we launched our high school program and they saw it through a successful completion.  We are working to continue on that momentum by adding additional layers of support to the high school program.  Of our three, one was named an Ontario Scholar!  Quite a prestigious award.  One student got accepted into her first choice school in Amsterdam, while the other two are planning their future with some on the job training while they apply to programs of interest for their perspective careers.  We are very proud of the hard work these three ladies put in and wish them all the best in the future! 

8th Grade Graduation

I'm not sure how the tradition didn't start earlier... but this was our first official Grade 8 graduation ceremony.  While the local school system starts high school in our Grade 7, our students embark on their journey to high school at Grade 9.  This special milestone had not previously been honored with a commencement ceremony.  This year we planned to change that, then COVID-19 changed the world.  Thankfully, due to our small class and the protocols at the time, we were able to hold a small, socially distant ceremony to honor our graduates and wish them well as they being their high school journey.  

Reading Garden Party

This year to kick off our annual Leap Into Reading, Read-a-Thon, we hosted a Reading Garden Party.  Our first annual Garden Party was chock full of great events for our students and families.  First off we hosted a book swap.  Students were able to bring in books from home to swap out for new books.  In addition, we also had families donate books to our library and fill out a name plate for the dedication page.  We invited Ms. Heidi, a local author and member of the Caribbean Reads team to come share a story with our students.  She also brought the book collections, comprised of short stories and novels written by Caribbean authors.  Teachers created a parent resource center in which the focus was literacy development and had tips and tricks that they can use at home to support their child's reading growth and development.  The highlight of the night was when families were allowed to choose a location on campus and spread out and read!  Parents brought picnic blankets, books, food and drinks and spread out on campus to read together. This kick-off event allowed children to also log this reading time on their Leap Logs and get a head start for the competition.  It was a beautiful night; one we can't wait to duplicate!

Social Studies Fair

This year was our first ever Social Studies Fair.  Typically each year SKI hosts a Science Fair.  To lend support to other subject areas, we have decided to alternate the focus of our Fair.  This year the Social Studies Fair was a huge hit.  The students were able to select topics in a variety of areas that align to their theme and curriculum for the year.  It was nice to see the students share their passion for Social Studies.  The Fair was held at Windsor University in one of their large conference rooms.  Judges were selected from the larger St. Kitts community and are people who are work in fields related to the social sciences.

Caught Being Good - Game Day

Each month we choose a different way to celebrate the kindness of our students.  They are awarded tokens when they are "caught being good' and they are redeemable for a chance to be in our monthly celebration.  This month students got to enjoy a pizza lunch and an afternoon of games.  

Sports Day 2020

This year we gave our Sports Day a revised look and feel.  We modeled it to look more like the Sports Days that are held in the local schools in which students participate in an array of running and field events.  We, of course, had our house teams to cheer for and the stands were packed.  We also kept in a host of activities to keep the children engaged when they were not in a running or field event.  Our march pass was lead by our new SKI banner - which really made the kids a smile to see!  We were able to also showcase a tug-of-war and a parents exhibition race.  It was great day, filled with lots of smiles!

Student Council Raises Funds for Recess Activities

The Student Council raised funds to procure some new 'toys' for the students to play with at recess time. T he equipment will be regulated by members of the Student Council and the general population can sign them out during their recess time.  The students were very excited by the variety of activities the Council selected.

"Mickey" Holiday Drive

This year our school continued the tradition of working with Mickey's Hope.  This organization lead by Mickey, helps family throughout St. KItts to have  a better quality of life by providing them with food, clothing, toiletries, bedding, furniture and even. toys.   More than that, Mickey provides hope to people that  are in need of a helping hand.  

Each year, the SKI students run a drive to collect non-perishable food items, toiletries and toys during the holidays to help Mickey's mission.  The generous outpouring of support by our SKI family was truly a blessing to these families at the holidays.  

This year we were able to assist over 20 families, representing more than 50 children.  Members of our school in grades 3 and up, along with the Student Council Executive committee delivered packages, spreading cheer throughout the island.

Breakfast with Santa

The PTA hosted its first annual Breakfast with Santa fundraising event. The event was a huge success and was enjoyed by all in attendance. Th ere was delicious food, fun games, an opportunity to visit the North Pole to see Santa and time to enjoy the company of our SKI Family.

Thanksgiving Celebrations

There is always a lot to be thankful for in our school.  This year, there were several Thanksgiving feasts that took place throughout our school.

Grade 2 hosted all of their families and there was an abundance of food at the sharing table. The  room was transformed into rows of tables to accommodate everyone and the atmosphere was simply delightful.

The high school students in Grades 11 & 12 also hosted a feast.  Their feast took place in Ms. Marcy's Room and the students agreed there was a lot to be thankful for.

Last, but not least, the SKI team including all of their families had an after school Thanksgiving Dinner.  

Professional Development Days

This year the SKI has had two professional development days so far.  The focus of those days has been varied.  The first day in November had a focus on supporting struggling students. We  reviewed strategies to help students with a variety of challenges in different content areas.

We also met with the St. Kitts & Nevis Fire & Rescue Services to discuss fire safety and how to handle a fire emergency.  The team had the chance to use extinguishers to put out a fire and learned more about the equipment onboard the trucks.  Some members of the team got to try on the suit of the firemen and take a closer look inside the truck.

In February the team learned tips and tricks to working with children on the Autism Spectrum. I n addition, the team had a refresher course in CPR, Heimlich, Epi-Pen administration and AED machines.

Halloween Festivities

Halloween was a fantastic day thanks to the efforts of the Student Council.  The day started off at 9am with a parade.  Parents were encouraged to attend and distribute candy on the parade route and dress in costume too.

The parade culminated at the half-court where there was a judging station in which there were three categories: funniest, scariest and most creative costume at the elementary and middle/high school levels.  There were also prizes for best parent and teacher costumes.

The Student Council was busy selling 'pumpkin-grams' as a fundraiser and they were distributed on Halloween.  At lunchtime middle and high school students participated in Scary-Oke while the elementary students watched a short Halloween movie.  It truly was a spook-taculr day.  

Breast Cancer Awareness

Students were happy to show off their pink to raise awareness for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.  Members of the S.K.I. community were encouraged to wear pink and donate $2EC to the Essence of Hope Foundation.  We were happy to donate $350EC.  Ms. Lizbeth Burrell, S.K.I. parent and member of Essence of Hope was on hand to accept the donation.

S.K.I. Academy Partners with
Junior Achievement

We are pleased to announce our new partnership with Junior Achievement (JA).  JA is a global non-profit youth organization that works with local businesses, organizations and schools to deliver life skills training through hands on learning in the areas of work place readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.  

The first program we are running targets the students in Grade 5 and it is called More Than Money.  Local business woman Jasmine Jeffers, with years of experience in the banking industry comes once a week for 5 weeks to take the students through this program. The program is aimed at teaching financial literacy skills to the students through interactive games and a cumulative competition at the end with other schools in the Federation.

The main focus is money management focusing on saving, spending and earning.

In time we look forward to offering other JA programs to various grade levels within our school.

Fire Prevention Awareness Month

In partnership with the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services (SKNFRS) our school conducted a series of lessons on fire safety.  

Fire Prevention Officer, Timothy Martin, along with members of his team came to discuss the importance of having a fire escape plan at home.  They also discussed the concept of 'stop, drop and roll' along with how to crawl out of a burning building.  Many other topics were covered as well to help children be more prepare for a fire emergency.

With the assistance of Keithly Hicks, Director of Safety & Security for Windsor University, we orchestrated building evacuations leading children to our assembly point on campus.  The culmination was a campus wide evacuation in which the SKNFRS were contacted stating that there was a fire on the S.K.I. campus.  They responded to the call, swept the building and ensured all was safe.  This was a great way for our students to practice a drill and also for their SKNFRS to provide additional training and practice for their team.

In November, the staff of S.K.I. will be undergoing training with SKNFRS as well to ensure that we are all prepare in the event of a fire.

S.K.I. Academy Launches 
Diversity Committee

Maya Angelou said, "It is time to teach young people from early on that in diversity there is beauty and strength."

At our international school we want to embrace the various religious and cultural backgrounds of the members of our learning community.  This is why we've launched our Diversity Committee.  The committee has decided to schedule one observance each month.  We have also reached out to our parents to encourage them to add events to our diversity calendar that are reflective of their religion or culture.  Parents are encouraged to come in and speak during assembly for a few minutes or in their child's homeroom and teach the students about the special events in their family.  Our goal is for this to grow on an annual basis that we can truly teach our community about tolerance and to learn to embrace our differences.

The first event was held on Diwali.  There was a brief presentation detailing the meaning of Diwali and then some students shared a cultural dance with the entire school.  We look forward to more events like this.

S.K.I. Academy Football Team

Football season is upon us and we are super excited to cheer on our football team.  Under the direction of Coach Collins and Kevin O'Connor, the team has had their first two matches.  While our team is quite young this year, there is a lot of hear and talent on the field.  Working with their coaches, they will learn many essential skills that will help them continue to strengthen as a team.  It promises to be an exciting season!  Goooooooooo team!!!

Grade 11/12 Tea Party

The grade 11/12 class, along with their homeroom teacher Ms. Marcy decided to organize a fun class celebration.  They decided on a tea party.  The students all brought in delicious treats and enjoy them along with their tea.  

Lunch & Learn Series

(Puberty Talks)

This year we launched a series of puberty talks for our grades 5-8 students.  Under the direction of our health teacher, Nurse Brown, we created a new format for these talks.  The girls and boys were broken into groups and we held our talks during lunch.  Pizza and juice were provided to the children and we came together during lunchtime.  The students reported feeling comfortable in the setting and enjoying the lunchtime treat that they received.

Bahamas Relief Drive

The Student Council in conjunction with Windsor University, organized a drive to aide our neighbors in the Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.  

Members of the SKI community were called to action to bring in food, toiletries, baby items and gently used clothing and household items.

The drive lasted about two and a half weeks and many items were donated to send to the Bahamas.  

It is important that we instill civic responsibility in our young people that as a global community we work hard to look out for and care for each other.   

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the drive.

Pie in the Face Fundraiser

The Yearbook Committee, under the direction of Ms. Megan, arranged their first fundraiser of the year.  It was a light-hearted event in which students were able to put money into the jugs of participating teachers.  The three teachers with the highest amount of funds would then receive pies in their face.  The second half of the fundraiser what that students were able to pay to pie each teacher.  The event was a huge success and a lot of fun was had by all!

Grade 3 Field Trip

The Grade 3 class took a field trip to visit several landmarks around the island.  This aligns with their curriculum in which they are studying the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.  By taking this trip they were able to visit first hand, the Black Rocks, Brimstone Hill and Romney Manor.  The students had the opportunity to learn about many historic aspects of St. Kitts!

Spirit Week 2019

The Student Council planned yet another wonderful Spirit Week.  

Monday - Monochromatic Monday (wearing the colors of the SKI logo)

Tuesday - Twin Tuesday 

Wednesday - Wacky Wednesday

Thursday - Throwback Thursday (70's, 80's, 90's)

Friday - Fancy Friday

It is hard to say who had more fun, the kids or the teachers.... but either way the creative juices were flowing for sure!

September - Caught Being Good Celebration!

One of our new initiatives this year at S.K.I. Academy is our 'Caught Being Good" program.  With this program all members of our team are in search of kids going above and beyond to demonstrate kindness, compassion and perseverance.  Once they are 'caught' they are awarded a token that says "I Was Caught Being Good."

On the last day of each month students get to trade in their tokens for chances in our monthly drawing.  25 students are selected and we then have a fun celebration.  This is meant to be an added incentive in our program - the children are all commended for their good deeds and we, as a school community, could not be more proud of all of our students.  This month the celebration was an ice cream & pool party. 

School Spelling Bee 

(In preparation for the Rotary Bee)

Once again, students in grades 4 and up that met the age requirements for the Rotary Spelling Bee participated in a school-wide bee.  The competition was fierce as students entered 8 elimination rounds.  

The winner was Ersheen from grade 6.  Ersheen will represent the school at the Rotary Spelling Bee on October 17th at the ECCB Auditorium at 4:00pm.  All students and parents are encouraged to come cheer her on!

Grades 1-3 Spelling Bee

In preparation for the Rotary Club annual Spelling Bee that Grades 4-6 participate in, the students in grades 1-3 host their own practice bee.  

Each grade level held their own in-cl;ass bee and the top three spellers advanced to the K-3 Bee.  The students did an amazing job and impressed their teachers and classmates.  Emerging victorious was Brandon Brisbane in Grade 3.  Congratulations to all of our spellers!

Climate Strike

On September 20th, millions of people and students around the world went out on streets in over 130 countries to express their dissatisfaction with political inaction regarding climate change.  This was the first day in a week long campaign of awareness where students purposefully missed school to speak out.  

After learning of these examples, students from our school decided to join forces in a display of solidarity with youth from all over the world.  The students, feeling personally concerned by the lack of urgent action to prevent climate change, wished to share their commitment to climate protection.  In this light they organized a school-wide demonstration which was held on Friday, September 27th.  Parents were also invited to show their support at the event.

ZIZ, one of our local broadcasting companies covered the event and a feature article was released about the climate strike.   

Student Council Elections

Student Council elections were held for the four Executive Board officer positions.  In order to run for the Executive Board students need to be in grades 9-12.  Under the direction of Ms. Terry & Mr. Ade the Student Council has a new process for elections.   Students were required to write a letter of interest and have teacher and parent approval before beginning the campaign process.  Once approved, students needed to put up posters and also write a campaign speech.  Students campaigned for about a week.

Students in grades 4 and up went through a similar process in campaigning for the homeroom representative positions as well.  Those elections were held within their classroom.

The electoral process mirrored that of the local elections here in the Federation.  Students entered the polling station and had to share their name with the clerk (thanks to our parent volunteers).  At the next checkpoint they were given a ballot and instructions on how to successfully complete the same.  At the third station, they went into the voting booth, cast their ballot and placed it into the ballot box.  The final step before leaving the polling station was to have their finger inked.

Congratulations to our Executive Board:

President: Kamilla

Vice-President: Sofia

Treasurer - Jacob

Secretary - Shechaniah

International Day of Peace

This year St. Kitts International Academy stood with people around the globe in observance of the International Day of Peace..  This observance started in 1981 and was endorsed by the United Nations as a day for all of humanity to commit to peace above all else.  In some war-torn areas ceasefire agreements are even honored so relief efforts can be brought to the people.

At our school we wore white (the international color of peace) and black and invited parents to join us to form a human peace sign.  

Students in grades K-3 went to Windsor University School of Medicine to spread the message of peace with their students and colleagues.  Grades 4-8 shared tokens with each other that they made to encourage peace amongst our school community as well.  

We also unveiled our 'Peace Wall' in the cafeteria.  The message "May Peace Prevail on Earth' was put on display, surrounding a map of the world, in either different languages.

SKNVibes Press Release on International Day of Peace

Independence Celebration

Our school had a huge celebration to ring in the 26th anniversary of Independence for the beautiful Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis! 

The children put together a formal program in which all grade levels shared songs, information about the Federation and shared how St. Kitts is special to them.  The presentation was kicked off by a steel pan band.  In the afternoon we he had a special treat for the children including a beautiful St. Kitts themed cake, Johnny Cakes, sugar cakes, guava cheese, saltfish rolls and a local drink. 

Then the surprises started rolling in starting with Mr., Phipps and Mr. Williams from the Ministry of Culture performed for us on the drums and trumpet.  Following this performance was a visit from the Masquerades and the Mocko Jumbies.  It was truly an amazing day at our school!

Social Studies Excitement!

In alignment with our newly adopted Social Studies curriculum we have recently purchased new curriculum materials to align to the standards.  The new framework moves away from a Canadian focus to a global curriculum that is more in tune with the needs of our diverse international community.  

In grades 4 & 5 students will be exploring the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.  In grades 6 & 7 they are exploring Ancient Civilizations and the Medieval World.  Our new textbooks from McGraw Hill have students and teachers in grades 4-7 even more excited about learning!

The Golden Trash Cash Award

In an effort to keep our school more beautiful and clean,, this year we introduced the Golden Trash Can Award.  Ms. Ancilla helps facilitate this award each week to the class most deserving of the title.  

The award is given during lunchtime.  Thus far, the competition has been fierce.  The Golden Trash Can is a coveted trophy.

Week 1: Grade 5

Week 2: Grade 8

Week 3: Grade 7

Week 4: Grade 2

OSSLT Success!

Each year grade 10 students must take the Ontario Secondary Schools Literacy Test.  We were delighted to get back all passing results for our students.  To celebrate, we threw a pizza party!  

First Day Fun 2019-2020

The first day of school is always an exciting time for teachers and students.  This year the entire S.K.I. Team was at the gate to welcome and greet students and parents.  It was a great start to the year to have the chance to take pictures with our new sign and welcome everyone to the new school year!

Our very own Mrs. Andrea was one of only five teachers in the federation who was selected as a recipient of the Sports Department Award of Excellence for 2019!  The award was specific to her investment in the Primary Football League, but we know that her care and concern in all areas of life at SKI are the real reason to celebrate her success!  On behalf of all the students and staff at SKI Academy, we say a big THANKS to Mrs. A for all she has done this year and all of her years at SKI.  Congratulations from all of us!

Maria Challenger-Webster and Azaria Amritt, both of the Grade 6 class, were chosen to represent SKI Academy at the premier Ross University Medical Practitioners Week Science Fair that was held on Thursday, May 23rd at Independence Square.  These two students combined their SKI Science Fair projects into one cohesive presentation that reflects the importance of healthy water and its impact on plant systems - their project was entitled :"Healthy Water for Dynamic Plants" and we are all proud of their efforts in dedicating themselves to this important task.  Way to go, girls!!

Nigel Short, M..B.E. and one of the youngest chess Grand Masters in history, paid a call to SKI Academy on Monday, March 11th.  Along with representatives of the SKN Chess Association, Mr. Short presented an assembly to the students of Gr. 7-12 in order to inspire future and present players.  Mr. Short is often referred to as 'Britain's Greatest Chess Player of the 20th Century!'  The group spoke about the importance of chess as not just a fun game to play, but also in developing mental capacity peripheral to the purely scholastic.  Chess is an unmitigated challenge of wits, but it is also accessible to anyone who dedicates themselves to the game.  SKI was very fortunate to have a speaker of Mr. Short's standing, and the students and staff were intrigued by his tales of being Britain's youngest Grand Master at the age of just 19!  We will be seeking ways to incorporate more chess in school and to eventually become a leader among the island schools.  

On Thursday, Feb 28th, the Grade 7-12 classes visited the Information Communications Technology Open Day at the Nat'l ICT offices on the Bay Road at the Paul Southwell Industrial Park.  There were displays of the latest tech innovations including robotics, 3D printing, and augmented reality displays.  The students were amazed to see these technologies in action and were inspired by the fact that this tech is available today and not just science fiction!  Getting hands on with technology allows students to access a world of possibilities for today and tomorrow.

On Thursday, Dec. 5th, the Grades 7-12 took a wonderful field trip to hike in Stapleton area to visit Sofa Stone, an partake in the beautiful vistas afforded by the elevated trail.  It was somewhat arduous for some, but everyone had a chance to cool down when we followed up the hike with a trip to the beach.  Fun in the Sun was had by all and it was a great day of outdoor learning and play!

If you don't think our student athletes take their Intramural Competitions seriously...you better think twice!   

Championship Finals: Blue Dolphins VS. Green Vipers - Thursday!!!

Consolation Game: Yellow Falcons 4 VS Red Sharks 1

             Congrats to the Yellow Falcons on their 3rd place finish!

"Charity is not just about making a donation...it is about making a difference"     Kathy Calvin.

Greetings SKI Families, 

We had an enlightening and touching experience this morning when delivering the many donations of food and toys to our sponsor families around the island and want to send our heartfelt thanks to all of you who supported this initiative.  Your spirit of giving was incredible; as you can see from the picture of all the items collected!  These gifts will go a long way to bringing smiles and peace of mind to some very needy families this holiday season.  On behalf of Micky W., our good-works community supporter, and everyone at SKI Academy, we say THANK YOU!!

A big shout out to our Student Council who organized this effort and helped wrap, transport and deliver the gift baskets - thank you SKI students!!  We would also like to thank the PTA for their support in this effort as well as our volunteer drivers today: Moses and Eliza, Carla, and Katie.

Allondrae Fyfield-Browne, from the Grade 10 class, made himself, and his school, very proud during the awards ceremony for the 1st Annual St. Kitts and Nevis S.T.E.M. Fair (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).  Every school in the nation participated and over 100 students registered projects for the event which showcased how they integrate STEM skills and knowledge not only in the classroom but in everyday life.  Entries were rated by a panel of fifteen judges and projects were judged in a wide range of criteria from presentation of the display, to accuracy and innovation.  The STEM Fair awards ceremony took place Tuesday, Nov. 13th and Alo took home three major prizes for his project on Aquaponics:

1st Place overall: Science Category

1st Place overall: Project Presentation

2nd place overall: Upper Secondary Project

Besides the public recognition of his outstanding science project, Alo received monetary awards of $200 US and $350 EC.  As well, he received a schoolbag with external batter charging capabilities, a passage on the Scenic Railway, and a beautiful medal and certificate.

SKI Academy is very proud of Alo and his accomplishment - congratulations Allondrae!

Another member of our SKI family who was a big winner at STEM was our very own Ms. Warner-Paul!  Ms. Warner-Paul was on the steering committee and played a very important role in engineering this event.  She was given special recognition for her dedication by the Permanent Secretary during the awards ceremony.  Well done Ms. Em!!

Friday, October 26th saw the schools of St. Kitts and Nevis dress in Pink Shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness.  SKI Academy participated and raised a grand total of 826 EC that is being sent to SKB Reach for Recovery, a cancer awareness and research initiative here on the island.  

At the end of the photo session we all took a moment of silence to reflect and many students identified the fact that cancer has touched their lives in some way and that this debilitating disease needs to be eradicated.  Thanks to all students for their donations!  At the end of our photo session, we all had a giant game of freeze tag before heading home for the weekend.  

On Saturday, October 6th, many of our SKI Academy Families came together to help support and raise funds for the St. Christopher's Children's Home during the 8th annual Family Fun Walk and Run.  This important local event was held at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course and everyone enjoyed a great get together at the conclusion of the fitness portion of the day.  A big thanks goes out to all our families who came out to enjoy the day and to support the Children's Home!

A great time was had by all this past Saturday, Sept 29th, when Nevis International Secondary School football team and their supporters came across the narrows to play a friendly against the SKI Academy team.  After the game, the players from both sides got together for some additional games, a BBQ and to forge new friendships.  The spirit of camaraderie was plainly evident and we look forward to returning the favour when we visit Nevis in a few weeks.  SKI won the match, but all students and families were the real winners on this fun and friendly day!

Currently, in Social Studies, the G5 students are learning about

the indigenous people in St. Kitts and Nevis and by extension, the Caribbean.  St. Kitts is home to rock carvings otherwise known as petroglyphs, made by the Kalinago dating back to roughly 545 A.D. Seeing the petroglyphs enables the students to form a connection with the indigenous people who once inhabited St. Kitts.  They viewed the two which are most well known and are found on a rock on the left hand side of the road leading to Wingfield Estate (once the home of Earl Romney, but now housing the beautiful Caribelle Batik factory).