Who are they?
Beacon Private School (BPS) was founded in 2018 with a vision and mission to create a forward-looking educational program that develops independent, creative, reflective, critical thinkers and global learners.
In addition to high academic goals, they have a determination to encourage global citizenship. They want their learners to not only be aware of the world around them and the issues they will face, but to feel empowered and ready to make a change.
Appreciating each individual as an integral part of the learning community is a key feature of their educational program. They promote a safe, positive learning environment that honors the voice, choice, creativity, and academic readiness of every learner in what they call a ‘Learner Agency’.
International Baccalaureate (IB) World School- November 2021
November is a special month for BPS as they are now an officially authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
This is a major milestone and significant accomplishment for BPS! Rarely has a school ever been awarded this opportunity so early in its inception. It is a testimony to the level of professionalism and experience of the faculty and leadership team at the school.
New England Association for Schools and Colleges Accreditation (NEASC)
In 2019, BPS applied for international accreditation at NEASC as they are globally recognized for their standards of excellence in attesting a school’s quality and integrity.
In November that year, a “Foundation Standards Visit” was conducted and BPS earned an ‘Eligibility’ status from the Director of NEASC. Since then, the school has been taking steps towards the NEASC Accreditation. The second NEASC visit took place in November 2020 and a final visit is scheduled for Spring 2022.
Curriculum and Instruction
The BPS administration and faculty are committed to the development of a learning ecosystem that balances the development of essential concepts, key competencies and character traits through inquiry-based learning. To meet these essential aims from Nursery through Grade 10, BPS implements the Common Ground Collaborative (CGC) as an overarching curriculum framework.
The CGC promotes Conceptual Learning, Competency Learning and Character Learning; or the “3C’s of Learning”. These three types of learning interact constantly and form the ‘Triple Helix’ or ‘DNA’ of their curriculum. Therefore, all three aspects are prioritized.
Post 7-weeks of inquiry modules, and to respond to the 3C’s, learners commonly reflect by using “I now understand that I am able to and I have become more”.
A further example of how learners grow in knowledge, skills, and dispositions would be the ‘Learner Portfolio’ that compiles academic work, inquiry journey and reflections on their learning goals. These collections could include written assignments, journal entries, artwork, and photos of physical projects.
Yoga & Mindfulness Program
BPS has been implementing a ‘Yoga & Mindfulness Program’ since 2018 to focus on enhancing learners’ personal development to thrive in this changing world.
The school offers Mindful Sundays for Secondary School and Mindful Mondays for Elementary to engage in mini-mindfulness techniques such as heart and belly breathing, mindful eating, mindful journaling, body scans and much more!
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They believe these weekly mindfulness practices help promote improved attention, emotional regulation, positive behavior, skillful interactions, empathy, reduced stress levels and improved resilience.
Flexible Classroom Learning Design
The BPS classrooms are designed to allow flexibility in teaching and learning, in a non-traditional flexible seating format. Learners therefore have choice in terms of their environment.
Their daily eight-period schedule is divided into blocks of two, with three 20-minute breaks allowing learners to re-energize for the next session. They are flexible in terms of class schedules, combining classes or extending lesson times to allow for field trips, celebrations of learning, special events and cross-collaboration.
Teaching and learning does not stop at the classroom door; the spacious corridors as well as indoor gardens and outdoor playgrounds are also seen as opportunities for new learning experiences.
For more information on BPS, call 6600 0088 or visit their website.
