ABOUT US

Vimenti is an integral services center for the entire family, which runs projects in the educational, social and economic areas.

How Vimenti School was created?

It was created as a two-generation service model to provide development opportunities and economic security to boys, girls, youths, and adults, along with their parents. Located at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini housing project in San Juan, Vimenti actually runs the first charter school in Puerto Rico, has an after-school program for children and youths, and has an employability and careers program for youths and adults focusing on customer service. After conducting a significant amount of research, Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico (BGCPR) launched Vimenti School, Puerto Rico’s first charter school. Born through a collaboration between BGCPR and Saint John’s School, Vimenti used the human-centric design process to put our students and families’ needs and interests at the center of the strategy. Parents and students participated in the development of the school through an interactive design process.

Mission

Vimenti School fosters the discovery of individual talents and develops students with the skills and values necessary to compete in a global economy.

Vision

Our school will provide a dynamic, differentiated and inclusive learning environment where children participate in ample literacy and numeracy experiences and, through authentic play, begin to develop self-awareness, a healthy socio-emotional foundation, curiosity and a love of learning.

Core Values

Innovation - Innovative education is a tool to break generational poverty.

College and career readiness - We educate for careers and college.

Family at the center - Families are an integral part of the education path.

Ambition - Inspire our students to take risks and overcome challenges.

Skills for life - Encourage resourcefulness, resilience and tenacity as critical skills for success.

Individualized approach - Discover, nurture and advance individual abilities and talents.

Lifelong learning - Foster intellectual curiosity, creativity and a passion for lifelong learning.

Exceptional Teaching - Great learning is facilitated by creative, passionate and trained people.

Creativity and innovation is expected.

Multi-sensory - A learning environment that incorporates all six senses.

Excellence - Strive for world-class quality in everything we do.

Continuous growth - Everyone is a student, even teachers and administrators.

Respect - Students, parents and teachers treat each other with utmost respect.

Target

Vimenti School serves families under the poverty level from the Ramos Antonini Public Housing Project in San Juan and nearby communities. The school started with 50 to 64 students from kinder and first grade and adds two kinder classrooms each year thereafter.

To assure the best-learning environment, each classroom has one teacher and one teacher assistant and no more than 17 students per group. During the first year, the first grade classrooms had 10 students.

First grade students will not come from schools with similar kindergarten structures, so small groups should be ensured to allow them to have an appropriate learning environment. That way, they can adapt to the bilingual curriculum and grade requirements.