Update

Family Island Partnership:

Expanding Access, Empowering Educators

By Bonnie Drost, EEO Development Coordinator

As you may have heard, EEO's collaboration with the Ministry of Education has led to the launch of the Family Island Partnership (FIP). This new powerful endeavor is already making a meaningful impact across the Family Islands ensuring more students receive the support they need to thrive.

Through learner screenings, teacher training, and providing specialized resources to classrooms and teachers, FIP is strengthening inclusive education beyond EEO's original communities. By equipping educators with practices and strategies while identifying learning challenges early in a child's life, we are creating brighter futures for students who need it most.

With this strong momentum, the Family Island Partnership will continue to expand access and opportunity for students across The Bahamas.

FIP By the Numbers

• 150+ hearing & vision screenings across 9 schools on Cat Island and Exuma.
• Classroom resources & assistive technology provided to schools on Cat Island, Exuma, Eleuthera, and Spanish Wells.
• 8 trained MOE Special Education Teachers now support 12 additional schools with EEO’s inclusive model.

Update

Autism Through a Holistic Lens: Strengthening Support & Collaboration

EEO’s recent seminar in February 2025, Autism Through a Holistic Lens, provided critical training while sparking meaningful collaborations among educators and islands. As we gathered in person and virtually, the future potential impact of expanding inclusive education across The Bahamas through the Family Island Partnership (FIP) was felt.

With 60 in-person attendees and 180 educators live-streaming, the event united teachers from 6 islands: Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, Cat Island, Exuma, and Nassau. Expert speakers and practitioners including,

Dr. Michael Alessandri (CARD, University of Miami), Amanda Alvarez (speech therapist, Integrated Children’s Therapy), and Natasha Bravo (occupational therapist), shared invaluable insights on autism intervention and multi-sensory learning strategies.

Building on this critical knowledge, EEO hosted two parent workshops the following day in Bluff and on Harbour Island that provided families with practical strategies and resources to better support their children. These powerful and much-welcomed workshops reinforced the importance of community involvement and continued learning. The time with parents, grandparents, and caregivers deepened the impact of the seminar to extend beyond the classroom and into the home.

For 33 years, Ms. Verlease Rolle has been dedicated to shaping young minds. Starting as a generalist teacher, her passion for inclusive education led her to earn a Master’s in Exceptional Student Education from Barry University. She now serves as a special education teacher at Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School in Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, where she provides targeted interventions to primary students through a pull-out support system.

A Lifelong Passion for Teaching

From childhood, Ms. Rolle knew she was meant to be a teacher. Inspired by dynamic educators who instilled in her a deep love for literacy, she pursued a career where she could ignite that same passion in her students.

Transforming Learning Through Multi-Sensory Strategies

Her dedication to continuous learning has led her to implement evidence-based literacy interventions, including the IMSE multi-sensory approach, through EEO’s professional development initiatives. These strategies have transformed struggling readers, helping them decode words, gain confidence, and develop a love for reading. EEO also weaves music, art, and dance into learning, fostering motivation, creativity, and deeper connections for students.

The Joy of Student Success

Ms. Rolle's dedication extends beyond the classroom—offering early morning sessions before school to make certain students receive the individualized attention they need to thrive. She shares that one of the most rewarding moments is seeing a nonverbal student transition to expressing himself in three to four-word sentences and interacting with peers on the playground without challenges and distress. 

"Wow, that is amazing!" –student mastering a new concept

"Now I see!" –a moment of clarity in learning

A Teacher’s Purpose

Ms. Rolle firmly believes that education is one of the greatest services one can provide. She is not just a teacher—she is an advocate, mentor, and inspiration to every student who walks through her door.



"Among the greatest of all great services is the education of children—and that is what I was created to do."

– Ms. Verlease Rolle

Plan to join us on Eleuthera at

The Potlatch Club in Governor's Harbour as we celebrate 25 years of impact and the expansion of inclusive education across the Family Islands.

This unforgettable evening will feature special guests, a live band, and a vibrant Junkanoo rush-out, bringing together community, music, and purpose.



In celebration, The Potlatch Club is generously offering 10% off stays, and Aztec Airways is extending 10% off flights when you mention EEO’s 25th Anniversary at booking.

Click here for

event details.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!