Fisher Island
Day School
Fisher Island Day School (FIDS) is regarded as one of South Florida’s finest independent schools. Founded in 2004, we are dedicated to preparing children for entrance into competitive high schools, for responsible citizenship, and for ongoing learning to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Developing the Mind, Body and Spirit
We are an experiential community that fosters a love of learning and are renowned for developing the mind, body, and spirit of each child we serve—currently from Early Learning (age 2) through Grade 8.
“Fisher Island Day School provides an exceptional learning environment for my children that is preparing them to compete academically and on a national level.”
Juliean Charouhis, FIDS Parent
Primary School
The Primary School (Early Learning – Kindergarten) is an academically rigorous learning experience for FIDS’s youngest students. Literacy and numeracy instruction are key areas of focus, which equip FIDS students with the skills necessary for early reading and problem-solving. FIDS maintains a small student-to-teacher ratio, which gives students an academic advantage that endures throughout their school career. Fisher Island and South Florida weather provide a unique opportunity for outdoor explorations to observe nature, weather, seasons and the elements—thereby extending the classroom experience. On-island golf-cart trips (with safety belts!) facilitate multi-sensory experiences in which all five senses become a part of the children’s learning. A few examples of local trips include: visits to a market, where students use math skills to purchase fresh fruit; a marina, where children observe and count the manatees; and the aviary, where students observe and feed exotic birds.
Lower School
In Lower School (Grades 1 – 5) students navigate through academically rigorous, thematic units of study. FIDS encourages questioning and debate, expanded research, and investigation to support and develop the lifelong skill of critical thinking. As students rise through the grades, reading and language arts are increasingly emphasized, encouraging students to express their ideas and understanding of what they have learned and their perception of the world and their needs for the future. Students take part in the writing process throughout the school day, with emphasis focused on grammar development, mechanics, handwriting, and expression. The mathematics program emphasizes practical applications, a grounded understanding of mathematics vocabulary, and the reinforcement of already acquired skills. The school strives to promote a genuine interest in history and social studies, and teachers encourage free investigation into ideas and topics. In addition, with a commitment to early world-language instruction, the social studies curriculum is complemented with essential knowledge of various cultures and traditions. The STEM curriculum is introduced and experienced through discovery, project-based learning, group investigations, and independent research. In addition to our own fully equipped STEM lab, Fisher Island serves as an excellent “science lab” in which to investigate the ocean, flora, fauna, and various biomes. Plus, the Fisher Island Observatory is ideal for studying the night sky.
Middle School
Students in the Middle School (Grades 6 – 8) complete their academic journey at FIDS, which leads to admission to South Florida’s prestigious high schools. In Middle School, students rotate between classes to receive high levels of core-content instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies—including advanced and honors coursework, such as Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry. Additionally, all students are required to participate in Spanish as their main world-language component. Students are involved in the selection process when determining quarterly electives. Elective options include such courses as: art; physical education; music; robotics; keyboarding; creative writing; public speaking; and SSAT Prep. Extra-curricular activities for middle-school students include a range of sport offerings, such as soccer, cross-country running, tennis, basketball, golf, flag football, and volleyball. Other non-sport opportunities vary per quarter and serve as components of the active-hours after-school program.
