CAY HILL--Learning Unlimited Preparatory School (LUPS) has been unanimously recommended for re-accreditation following a recent on-site review by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), according to LU Head of School Amissa President.
SAIS is an internationally recognised accrediting organisation that evaluates independent schools through a rigorous process of self-study, peer review, and on-site evaluation to ensure high standards in educational quality, governance, safety, and continuous improvement. Accreditation by SAIS affirms a school’s commitment to excellence, transparency, and ongoing growth, and confirms 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,” with a strong sense of shared pride and responsibility for the school’s future. Reviewers noted that the school consistently provides a safe, positive, and academically challenging environment where students thrive in scholarship, creativity, and fellowship. They highlighted the school’s balance of a family-like culture with high expectations and described a campus that feels more like a home than an institution.
The evaluation underscored Learning Unlimited’s role as a globally connected school on a small island, serving a community representing more than fifty nationalities and celebrating cultural diversity from the Toddler Academy through Upper School. The report recognise the school for offering an exceptional educational experience in a remote part of the world while helping students connect globally and locally.
Academically, reviewers praised the school’s commitment to expanding pathways for student success, including offering varied academic options despite a small upper school. The school’s strong focus on college preparation was commended, particularly the eleventh-grade “I’m Going to College” project, which parents identified as especially valuable.
The report also highlighted Learning Unlimited’s higher education partnerships, including dual enrolment opportunities with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the College of Coastal Georgia, allowing qualified students to earn college credits while in high school.
SAIS evaluators affirmed the school’s educational direction, partnerships, and clear educational philosophy focused on teaching and learning. The review also recognise the leadership, dedication, passion, creativity, and wisdom of the LUPS Leadership Team.
SAIS confirmed that Learning Unlimited meets all accreditation standards and that its self-study demonstrated the required quality and thoroughness. The school also maintains a connection with Cognia, supporting data-informed decision-making, instructional quality, and long-term growth.
The school expressed pride in serving St. Maarten and gratitude to its families, students, faculty, and staff, describing the re-accreditation as an affirmation of its mission and motivation for continued growth and improvement.
