Early Years Program & Kindergarten

These are the years filled with those unexpected moments that delight us. The years in which flexibility and freedom are the most important, the time to encourage children that they can do ANYTHING if they apply themselves.

These are also the years when we can learn the most, and rebound the fastest. The years in which we learn primarily from our mistakes. In these years, AISK’s program focuses on building perseverance, resiliency, and confidence, while supporting creativity and building a strong academic foundation. We introduce the basics of critical thinking and creative problem solving, helping our students train their brains to make connections, and so we can identify areas proactively where they may need further development.

The Lower Elementary curriculum focuses on four areas: Personal Development, Cognitive Development, Language and Literacy Development, and Creative Expression. That means in addition to the core academic subjects of reading, writing, and basic arithmetic, your child will learn how to act with respect for themself, others, and the world around them; how to think through a problem before they react to it; and how to express themselves in a healthy way.

EYP at AISK

The Years of Discovery and Awe

Early Years Program

In AISK’s Early Years Pre-School program, your student will begin their journey toward academic success. Our environment is built specifically for our youngest Hurricanes to learn how to experiment, how to adjust, and how to persevere, in a safe and supportive way. Our program emphasizes the need to stretch and challenge yourself to be fulfilled in life, and instills a love for learning at a young age.

Developmentally, these are the years when children have the largest capability and capacity to learn. Our hands-on program will help your child develop the skills they need to grow socially, emotionally, and physically, in addition to readying them for their ongoing scholastic career and the rest of their life.

Kindergarten

AISK’s Kindergarten program is designed to introduce students to the rigorous expectations of academia gradually, supporting the student’s needs without denying them the formative trial-and-error experiences of learning.

Our Kindergarteners learn basic time management, how to follow a routine, and the foundations of school life, while continuing to mature emotionally and cognitively.

Curriculum

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS OF EXCELLENCE

Strong early childhood education puts your student on a path to success. At AISK, we make the most of these wondrous years of exploration, where the foundations of inquisitiveness and the intrinsic motivation to learn are created. During the early years, your child will grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Our learning environment fosters whole-child development, as well as firm academic foundations across core subject areas.

The Early Years Program Includes:

EYP 1 & EYP 2

A hands-on learning experience for three and four-year-olds that provides kindergarten readiness skills.

Kindergarten

An introduction to traditional school life that lays foundations for lifelong academic success.

Core Focus Areas

In the early years, we emphasize four primary areas of focus:

Personal Development

Creative Expression Development

Cognitive Development

Literacy Development

Social Emotional Wellness

Second Step® SEL

The Second Step® program is the core of the Elementary School’s social emotional learning curriculum. It provides students and teachers with developmentally appropriate tools that are the foundation for academic and social success. Students learn how to develop a growth mindset, manage emotions, demonstrate empathy and kindness for others, build healthy relationships, and solve problems and conflicts.

Pillars of the Program

Brain Builders

Growth Mindset

Emotion Management

Students learn the purpose of emotions, how to identify emotions in themselves and in others, and strategies for managing strong emotions in a healthy way. Emotion management skills support attention, motivation, academic, behavioral and social success.

The purpose of emotions
Building a feelings vocabulary
Understanding and respecting others’ perspectives
Calming strong emotions, self-regulation
Balancing emotion and logic

Empathy and Kindness

The ability to learn and understand what others are feeling, and to act with care and compassion to help support healthy relationships and social interactions. This creates a classroom and school environment for collaborative and cooperative learning, and one in which all students can feel safe, valued and empowered.

Recognizing contextual clues to how someone is feeling
Compassion: Empathy in action
Perspective-taking strategies

Problem Solving

Students who are able to take a growth mindset, manage their emotions, communicate effectively, and empathize with others can use their skills to individually and collectively solve problems and resolve interpersonal conflicts.

Manage strong emotions to think clearly and solve problems
Understanding others’ perspectives to avoid blaming
Generate solutions that consider other perspectives
Evaluate outcomes of solutions
Cooperative problem solving

Elementary School Schedule

Casimer Badynee - Elementary Principal

I believe education and the learning environment must meet the needs of children. This is my first year at AISK as ES Principal; however it is my 16th year as a school administrator. I started teaching in 1987… thirty-four years ago. I’m originally from Detroit, Michigan and spent the last 12 years in Chicago, Illinois. I settled in Jamaica in late July 2021, along with my wife, Julie and son Caz. This is our first international experience. We are enjoying the people, culture, and beautiful climate!

Fundamentally, to be a learner one needs a child-like wonder about the world. Children are natural learners and teachers. I believe that children are essentially curious and organically seek to connect their learning to personal passions. Children seek to build a knowledge base to help them interpret the world around them. Children want to be understood, want to belong, and want to connect to their world. A classroom must meet the needs of each individual student.

In my initial conversations with the AISK Interview Committee, I discovered that my philosophical beliefs in learning clearly matched AISK’s beliefs. Teachers and administrators on the committee openly shared the importance of nurturing positive student-teacher relationships and building a learning environment that inspires unique learners. Once on campus, I witnessed everything that the committee shared with me. I observed teaching staff connecting with students, supporting unique learning environments for all types of learners, and instilling a joy for learning in every child.

I am very comfortable in learning environments. I have plenty of experience as a school principal. I love learning and I spent the last 20 years completing a Masters of Arts degree in Education and a Masters of Science degree in School Leadership. I continued my formal education and earned a doctorate degree in School Leadership from Seton Hall University in New Jersey. My doctorate degree can be described as a culmination of my experience, curiosity, resilience, and family support. I attribute my success to my love of learning and the love I received from my family.

I have always loved cooking and baking. The COVID pandemic motivated me to perfect some of my favorites: pizza crust, almond biscottis, and soft tortillas. I’ve also enjoyed recipes of my Polish heritage- pierogies (dumplings), golabki (stuffed cabbage), nalisniki (crepes), and other specialty foods. In fact, I discovered an old Polish cookbook that survived a few generations and inspired me to integrate new Jamaican ingredients found on the island such as sweet potatoes, scotch bonnets, brown sugar, and rum!

I also love being a part of my family- I enjoy the company of my wife and son. I think one of my most cherished titles is “dad.” I love everything about fatherhood - the worries, joys, frustrations, excitements, and challenges that seem to be a part of every situation and activity. As a family, we enjoy our time together; exploring the world around us through food, entertainment, tours, activities, and sights. I enjoy everything an adventure has to offer when I’m with my family. Our “Jamaican Adventure” was a family decision and seems to epitomize our sense of exploration of the world around us!

I am thrilled to be on Island sharing this experience with my family and interacting with both Jamaicans and other internationals. Navigating many of the Jamaican stores, restaurants, institutions, and other attractions has been an adventure in itself. The warmth and graciousness of Jamaica is evident! My family and I look forward to exploring the Island beyond Kingston and meeting new people!

Katie Iver Admin Assistant

I joined the AISK family in November 2013 in the capacity of Administrative Assistant to the Elementary Principal and Elementary teachers. I am a qualified personal assistant and have over 30 years of international experience over a wide range of sectors.

I am Jamaican born but lived in the UK for over 18 years and have travelled extensively, including a “dream come true” 12 months back-packing trip around the world in 2002-2003. I truly enjoy being back in Jamaica and particularly working at AISK. Its population of both Jamaican and international staff and students creates a really wonderful multicultural environment.

Watching children grow and observing how they learn everyday inspires me, particularly in the amazing environment we have here at AISK. Through music, dance, art, just to name a few, the look of pure joy when they can be truly who they want to be and learn valuable lessons across the board never ceases to amaze me. Their lightbulb moments always bring me joy.

Apart from enjoying running and watching great movies with friends, for those who don’t know, I am also a semi-professional singer. I do love to see the look on people’s faces when listening to me sing for the very first time. Music is my joy second only to my family!!

I am based in the Elementary School Office and am here to help and support you in any way I can, so please feel free to reach out.

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