Learning Unlimited unanimously recommended for SAIS re-accreditation

CAY HILL--Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS) announced that it has been unanimously recommended for re-accreditation following a recent on-site review by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS).

SAIS is an internationally recognized accrediting organization that supports and evaluates independent schools to ensure they meet high standards in educational quality, governance, safety, and continuous improvement. The accreditation process includes a self-study, peer review, and an on-site evaluation designed to strengthen school programs and ensure accountability to educational best practices. LUPS said SAIS accreditation provides families and the wider community with assurance that the school is committed to excellence, transparency, and ongoing growth, and that it meets benchmarks comparable to respected independent schools worldwide.

In its report, the SAIS visiting committee described Learning Unlimited as a school community that is “warm” and “inviting,” and noted a strong sense of shared pride and responsibility for the school’s future. Reviewers said the school consistently provides a safe, positive, and academically challenging environment where students flourish in scholarship, creativity, and fellowship. They highlighted LUPS’ ability to balance a welcoming, family-like culture with high expectations, describing the campus as a place that feels “less like an institution and more like a home.”

The evaluation also recognized the school’s role on a small island with a global reach. SAIS noted that Learning Unlimited serves a community representing more than fifty nationalities and celebrates cultural diversity in visible and meaningful ways from the Toddler Academy through Upper School. The report further credited the school with delivering an exceptional educational experience in a remote part of the world, helping students connect globally while creating opportunities both beyond the Northwestern Caribbean and within their home community.

From an academic standpoint, SAIS commended Learning Unlimited for expanding pathways for student success and for meeting the challenge of offering varied academic options, an achievement the reviewers described as especially impressive given the Upper School’s small size. The school’s focus on college preparation was also highlighted, including the eleventh-grade “I’m Going to College” project, which establishes expectations and helps prepare students for their senior year. LUPS said parents identified that initiative as particularly valuable.

The report also pointed to the school’s growing network of higher education partnerships. Learning Unlimited currently offers dual enrollment opportunities with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the College of Coastal Georgia, allowing qualified high school students to earn college credits while completing secondary school and gain early exposure to university-level coursework.

SAIS evaluators further recognized the school’s efforts to develop partnerships that broaden student opportunities and its determination to prepare students for universities around the world. The report also noted what it described as a straightforward and confident educational philosophy that keeps the school focused on teaching and learning.

Learning Unlimited also noted its connection with Cognia, describing it as a globally respected organization that provides accreditation, professional learning, and continuous improvement services. According to the school, this connection supports data-informed decision-making, instructional quality, and long-term growth, helping ensure alignment with international best practices.

Special recognition in the review was given to the LUPS Leadership Team, described as inspiring to students, faculty, parents, and the wider Sint Maarten and SAIS communities for its “leadership, dedication, passion, creativity, and wisdom.”

“Accreditation is not symbolic; it is a demanding, evidence-based process that evaluates a school’s compliance with standards, the quality of its programs, and its capacity for sustained improvement,” the school stated, noting that SAIS confirmed Learning Unlimited meets all accreditation standards and that the school’s self-study demonstrated the quality and thoroughness required.

In closing, Learning Unlimited said it is proud to serve St. Maarten and expressed gratitude to its families, students, faculty, and staff. The school said it views the successful re-accreditation not as an endpoint, but as confirmation that it is fulfilling its mission and as motivation to continue improving for the children and families who place their trust in the school.

‍