User:Gina C Duarte-Romero/sandbox/Biltmore School

Our Story In 1926, the small city of Miami was inspired to change following the aftermath of a major hurricane. It was at this time that Mrs. Louise Shaffer, a native of Norway, felt that the fledgling city held great promise. This prompted her to make the great move from New York to Florida. In no time, she settled in and founded the school in the beautiful city of Coral Gables. The school's success resonated in the community, and Mrs. Shaffer subsequently relocated to a new site in order to accommodate her growing school. After many years of success, Mrs. Shaffer transferred her love of teaching and learning to Dr. and Mrs. Glenn Scott. Dr. and Mrs. Glenn Scott were fond of Mrs. Shaffer's methods an practices, but felt that the children of Miami had more to learn about high society. They envisioned well-mannered, eloquent, and socially engaging students. Over time, Miami's social scene changed, and so did the school's needs. The Becker and Harrison families acquired the school with hopes of creating a nurturing learning environment for their children. After their children completed their studies, the families opted for a simpler life, and left the school in the hands of Mrs. Gina Romero. Looking back, the school and its surrounding community are very different from Mrs. Shaffer's original plans. Mrs. Gina Romero's years of experience in early childhood education, and her interest in the Reggio Emilia philosophy and international education led the school to its present standing. Today, we are left with the image of a school that has evolved throughout the years. The school that once sprung up from a small community now boasts a full preschool, grade school, and middle school. The Biltmore School's synthesis of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, a focus on international education, and visible thinking continue to gain the attention of learners young and old. Our Philosophy Many theories and philosophies in education have contributed to the way we work and the culture of thinking and learning that exists in our school. Inspiration from the Reggio Emilia philosophy, the curriculum framework set forth by the International Baccalaureate Organization, and Harvard University's Visible Thinking research are just a few of the practices that we implement into our daily routines and ideas we share with our parents, students, and teachers. Our philosophy revolves around respecting our students' ability to think, analyze, understand and communicate. We value the learning process and the evolution of thought in all stages of human development; from the first learning experiences of our youngest students to the ongoing professional development of our teachers. Each day we have the opportunity to learn something new, explore different ideas and reflect on different perspectives. As a school that values the learning process and considers education in the 21st century a priority, we aim to help our learners become more internationally minded as we help them prepare for the unknown.

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