St. Lucia’s first fee-paying secondary school opened in September 2006, providing the island with an internationally accredited, private educational institution. On the first day of term, 29 students, two teachers and the principal took their places at the International School St. Lucia, not quite knowing what to expect, but enthusiastic in the knowledge that they were experiencing something entirely new to the island. Six months later, the numbers have increased to 44 students and three teachers; the school has expanded because of the demand to include grades 4 - 6 and is preparing to double its numbers again in September for the new academic year.

On March 1^st, the Principal, teachers and students of ISSL will hold an “Enrollment Evening” giving interested parents the opportunity to learn more about the school, its courses, accreditation and extracurricular activities. “It is a very exciting time for the International School”, says Principal, June Harkness. “This is a caring, learning community, where students work together, think critically, and use technology to become competitive and skilled in a global society. People are very interested to know about us, and we have lots to tell, so we are having the Enrollment Evening to allow parents and students to come along to the school, have a look around, hear our plans for the future and sign up early to ensure their child has a space next year."

A representative from Canada will be on hand on March 1^st to present exciting information about subject options and to answer questions about the curriculum and accreditation, so prospective parents and students will have an opportunity to learn more about the possibilities open to students of ISSL. There will be a limited number of places even with planned expansion, so interested parents will be given the opportunity to ask questions, get answers from the professionals and ensure their child is on the enrollment list. New registrations will be taken at the March 1^st Enrollment Evening and a waiting list will be set up for future academic years.

As new and small as it is, the International School already has some milestones and achievements to be proud of. Not long after the school opened and due to increasing numbers, a third teacher was employed taking the staff to four, and part time teachers have since been added for music and arts. In the first term, Grade 10 student Sarah Munn landed a weekly newspaper column and now ‘Teen Talk’ has become a regular feature in The Star. The school has an industrious and enthusiastic Junior Achiever group; a theatre-production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is underway with local actor and artist Gary Butte at the helm; the ISSL Spirit Club has combined fun with fundraising to hold dances, dress-down days and a charity food collection and the ISSL teachers are planning a Teaching Skills Workshop in March which will be offered to the island’s teachers at a nominal fee.

Germaine Waters, Chair of the Management Team and the Board of Trustees, says that the student body is by far the most impressive aspect of the school. “Our students already show the signs of a good, well-rounded education in an environment that promotes mutual respect and tolerance. Students of ISSL are confident that they are being listened to, that their opinion matters, which is not always the case in St. Lucia today. They show that learning comes in so many ways - from a science field trip to St. Lucia Distillers to making and eating a Canadian traditional pancake breakfast on Shrove Tuesday”.

Enrollment Evening will be held on Thursday, March 1^st at 6.30pm at the International School St. Lucia, upstairs Super-J, Gablewoods North.