Virunga Valley Academy

An American International School in Musanze, Rwanda

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You are here: Home / Archives for Uncategorized

Directors Corner– Back Together!!!

November 11, 2020 By Matt Miller

VVA’s New Administration and Middle School Building


On Oct. 15, 2020, the day we had been waiting for since March 13th finally came! After inspections by Musanze District and Ministry of Education officials, VVA received permission to open our doors to students once again! This permission came after several months of preparations to be sure that VVA was compliant and exceeding COVID-19 prevention guidelines including installing handwashing stations throughout the campus, ensuring social distancing in classrooms, equipping a medical isolation room for suspected cases, and even combining two rooms into one so that our art room could have enough space to ensure social distancing.

According to our inquiries, VVA was the first international school to reopen in Rwanda and for two days we were the only K-12 school in operation in the country! Since then most schools in Rwanda have also opened their doors. Our students have done an amazing job adjusting to new policies to ensure that everyone stays safe including regular handwashing, mandatory masks, and limits to the number of students who can be together for activities. We are also so thankful for our parents who endured through the difficult remote learning period and were willing to pay school fees and continue with us into this uncertain year. Our school year is off to a great start, and it is so good to have our students back on campus!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Director’s Corner-Overcoming Disrupted Learning

May 11, 2020 By Matt Miller

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unparalleled time of challenge for global education. The first case of Coronavirus was registered in Rwanda on March 13. Within a week, the Rwandan government made the prudent decision to close all churches and schools, a precursor to a broad lockdown that is credited with limiting the spread of the virus to under 300 cases with no fatalities so far. With that announcement that schools would be closing, our teaching and admin staff immediately began planning for how we could best continue to support our students’ learning from home. While many schools around the world have opted for on-line classes, we felt this solution would not be an equitable fit for our school community.

Ms. Andrea at her home teaching table

Sending graded work back to students using WhatsApp

What has emerged is an approached based on the delivery of hard-copy materials that have, depending on the guidelines of the government, been delivered or picked up by families every two weeks, followed by support via WhatsApp videos and pictures, phone calls and home visits as the lockdown has eased. I am amazed at the hard work and persistence of our teaching staff and the way that our parents have stepped up to help their students at home. While nothing can replace the face to face interaction of the classroom, I am very happy with the progress that our students have been able to make during this challenging time. It is an honor to be leading such an amazing community of learning, and we are eagerly anticipating the time when our school can gather again with the start of the 2020-21 school year in September!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: COVID-19 Learning, Director's Corner

Recent News

  • Director’s Corner: 2021-22 School Year Off to a Great Start! October 25, 2021
  • Directors Corner– Back Together!!! November 11, 2020
  • Love and Joy at VVA May 12, 2020
  • Director’s Corner-Overcoming Disrupted Learning May 11, 2020
  • Director’s Corner March 22, 2019
  • Director’s Corner December 3, 2018
  • Fourth Grade Fiction December 3, 2018
  • Second Grade Story Writing December 3, 2018
Virunga Valley Academy - Musanze, Rwanda

About

Established in 2014, Virunga Valley Academy is an American International School in Musanze, Rwanda.

Download the VVA Brochure

News & Announcements

  • Director’s Corner: 2021-22 School Year Off to a Great Start!
  • Directors Corner– Back Together!!!
  • Love and Joy at VVA
  • Director’s Corner-Overcoming Disrupted Learning

Contact

B.P. 94, Musanze, Rwanda
+250 78 396 3561
info@vva-musanze.org

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