Spotlight 100-250502

Good morning. What we’re covering in today’s Spotlight:

Microschools in Coconut Grove
An Inside Look at Playhouse Demolition
Reaction to Stronger Miami’s Petition Drive

Reading, Writing and Restaurants – A New Approach to Education

Two private microschools in Coconut Grove offer parents an alternative to more traditional schools, by emphasizing personalized learning and by partnering with local businesses, including restaurants.

By Liz Tracy

Driving down Grand Avenue on any given school day, you can spot students from Primer Microschools eating lunch, playing after school, or testing out kites in Esther Mae Armbrister Park.

Primer Microschools, located catty-corner to the park, is part of a growing trend of small private schools in Coconut Grove and across the state that provide students, parents, and teachers with an alternative to public schools and traditional private schools.

Jordan Magazine has two children at Primer, one son in the K-2 class and the other in the 3-5 grade class. Both gifted, he says they needed a more challenging and interactive learning environment than they had at their former charter school in South Miami. The family lives in Westchester near Tropical Park.

“They weren’t happy in school, but they were doing well academically. We wanted a better environment where they could be free to be themselves.” he says. “And they get that at Primer, which has really seen them thrive.”

Readers React

Readers weigh in on recent Spotlight stories, including the Stronger Miami petition drive to reform Miami City Hall and the partial demolition of the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

Two readers explain why the petition drive may not be the best move, while a third reader recounts his emotional reaction to the loss of the playhouse auditorium while inside the theater, filming the demolition work (a link to his video is included).