Today was the group's last day on the water. They enjoyed beautiful snorkeling with no wind, no waves, and 20-foot visibility underwater.

Ken sent the following update on the group's snorkeling adventures on Friday & Saturday. Be sure to look for the underwater photos Ken will share after they return from the trip.

We have had two great days of sailing and snorkeling. The weather has been warm -- one little rain shower on Friday -- and light wind. We have stopped at two reefs each day Friday & Saturday. On Friday, everyone snorkeled at the first reef but few had the energy………

The day started with pancakes for breakfast! Then the students plotted a course out of Biscayne Bay and offshore to the reef. A few clouds were present as they made their way out to sea through Angelfish Creek. Check in for more later!

Pancake breakfast:

Planning the way out of Biscayne Bay:

Heading out to sea through Angelfish Creek:

Great day at Boca Chita Key -- sailing, posing for pictures and investigating sea life. Our adventurers stood on a submerged wall looking at some fish and an octopus, saw a manatee getting a drink of fresh water from a boater's hose, and worked on their sailing skills.

Here they are on the wall:

Here's their new friend the manatee:

And here's Jack at the helm:

Enjoy some other great shots from today's adventures -- thanks Chris and Ken for sending …

The first day of the ABLE Florida sailing trip is always a long one -- busy, without a lot of time for photos. Everyone got settled on their boats and Jack and Theo took on the challenge of food shopping and did a great job. The boats set sail out of Key Biscayne because the marina in Miami was full. With beautiful weather and a nice breeze they made it to Boca Chita Key. Everyone is safe and well!

As a parent, relative or friend of someone with a learning difference, it can be difficult to truly understand the daily struggles they face. What would it be like to spend a day walking in their shoes? School, social and emotional situations and behavior are all aspects that can be difficult for them to navigate.

Being the Director of ABLE means it’s important for Ken Sinapius to continually challenge himself the same way he asks ABLE students to challenge themselves on their adventures. Thanks to the generosity of the Benjamin J. Cohen Faculty Development Fund, Ken had the opportunity to push his personal limits this past summer on a 10-day trip to the North Cascades where he went on to climb Mount Adams and Mount Rainier!

An interview with Lower & Middle School Director Jason Seggern

As the director of our younger divisions, Jason is a member of our regular Admissions Information Session panel of faculty and administrators. We asked Jason to comment on some of the most frequently asked questions from families interested in our Middle School program. See those questions and his responses below:

What drives the DVFS Middle School Curriculum?

DVFS’ Middle School …

Jackie Middleton’s upper school English classroom is unlike any other. From the physical space to the images and diagrams covering the walls, Jackie’s classroom is thoughtfully designed to encourage engagement and discussion among her students and to support their different learning challenges around grade-level appropriate content.

Jackie has transformed the standard classroom set-up -- individual desks and chairs in rows facing the front …

ABLE | SERVICE | CULTURE

New this year: Winter Break Service/Culture trip to Cambodia.

The 2018-19 Experiential Learning Brochure

(CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF)