The Sunshine School
PO Box 90 BQ
Bequia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
West Indies
Tel: 784-457-3794
sunshine@vincysurf.com
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HOME / OUR SCHOOL
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Mission Statement: Our mission is to make a
positive difference in the lives of children
with special needs, through a caring relationship.
Regardless of their disability we will give
each student the opportunity to improve their
self esteem and reach their true potential through education and love.
The Sunshine School was born out of the integration of the School for the Hearing Impaired and a group of Mentally Challenged children and young adults. These two entities merged in 1982 and developed into what is now known as “The Sunshine School for Children with Special Needs”. At that time The Bequia Mission of Canada accommodated the comprehensive needs of the school – financially and materially. Starting out with just a few children and even fewer teachers the school developed, grew and moved into various locations. In 2000 The Sunshine School moved into our own newly constructed building in Port Elizabeth well equipped and catering to the special needs of our special students. Here, we continue to grow and evolve as a respected “special needs school”. Now in 2012, we celebrate our 30th anniversary.
We are proud of our ever increasing affiliations with other special needs schools and organizations around the world. Through these contacts we gain insight into educational trends of similar schools and open doors for our teachers and students to “the world beyond Bequia”. The Avenue School in Reading, UK, (www.avenue.reading.sch.uk) and The Rosslyn School in Scotland are two of these affiliates with which we have a special bond.
Our goal is to provide a nurturing learning environment where students can grow and accomplish academic learning skills, allowing them to re-enter main stream schools when possible. The teaching of work related and life skills has developed significantly, allowing opportunities for students to contribute to their homes and communities with self supportable skills.
The curriculum used by the school is the basic (Government) curriculum for Primary schools, adapted to the specific needs of the Sunshine School. Placement is based on learning level and ability versus age. Each student is able to advance at his/her individual pace from grade K through grade 5. In addition to the regular academic subjects like Reading & Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science students are also taught sewing, crochet, embroidery, woodwork, Home Ec and gardening. For children with severe learning difficulties life skills are taught.
Some of the non-academic curriculum subjects/areas that continue to grow and become an exciting part of our school are:
- Our ever expanding computer lab where children learn computer basics and learn academics through interactive educational programs
- Our beloved work shop where students learn wood working and various other craft skills
- The sewing room continues to grow with students creating their own fashions, house hold items and decorations
- The music room offers students exposure to various instruments and music basics
- The gardening program’s “seeds have begun to sprout" teach students self sustained gardening and the basics of agricultural economics
- During the 2009/2010 school year, the physical education and sports programme was upgraded with specific training for one of our teachers, adding to the health and wellness awareness of the students.
The Sunshine School is a privately funded, not for profit, institution administered by a local Board of Directors. The Government pays the salary of the head teacher and provides a small annual subvention – the rest is up to us! We work hard to meet our annual fiscal requirements in order to offer our students a wonderful learning environment.
Daily assemblies are held to start off the school day. The staff rotates leading each week’s programme with any variety of group activity, whether singing together, reading of a story or article, or discussing current events. Students are encouraged to share their own lives’ events, big or small, and then are sent off for their day’s learning. Visitors are welcome to join the assembly, typically from 9-9:30am daily during regular school term.
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Making a positive difference in the lives of children |
