FIU College of Architecture + The Arts artist-in-residence Xavier Cortada, founder and creator of the Reclamation Project (www.reclamationproject.net), will make a presentation and lead students in dedicating their mangrove propagule installation at Southside Elementary School on November 13th, 2014. The effort is organized by MuVE at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, where the Reclamation Project has been based since 2007.

FIU College of Architecture + The Arts artist-in-residence Xavier Cortada, founder and creator of theReclamation Project (www.reclamationproject.net), will make a presentation and lead students in dedicating their mangrove propagule installation at Southside Elementary School (http://southside.dadeschools.net) on November 13th, 2014.

Southside Elementary

Southside Elementary Museums Magnet School is a historic school located in the Mary Brickell area near Miami’s Downtown.  Southside is the oldest elementary school in Miami-Dade County; the school building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1989.  Famous alumni of the school include Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Southside is a Museum Magnets School which is committed to having a culturally diverse learning environment with support and collaboration from local museums and the community. As a result, the curriculum is largely humanities-based. There are expeditions which allow students to have authentic learning experiences using both their hands and minds. As it is a museum-based environment, students are encouraged to be critical thinkers, creative, and self-motivated.  The school provides a rigorous education through various programs offered such as object-based learning, bilingual, Gifted and Talented, and Exceptional Student Education.  The school services 852 children from grades Pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade from the local community as well as from throughout more than 50 zip codes in Miami Dade County.

Southside has had an outstanding record of academic success over the past 10 years.  The school has received a school grade of A as designated by the Department of Education:  Florida School Grades.  The school has also received several mentions and distinctions over the years such as Magnet School of Distinction Award for 2012, Title One Distinguished School Award in 2007-2008,  Arts for Learning Sun Award for Outstanding Site in 2009 and Excellence in Urban Education Award from the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) in 2008 for urban schools that have succeeded in improving academic achievement for English language learners (ELLs).

Southside Mission

Southside Elementary Museums Magnet School is committed to providing a culturally diverse learning environment in collaboration with museums throughout the community. A humanities-based curriculum infused with museum resources and expeditions provides hands-on, minds-on authentic learning experiences taking students beyond the walls of the classroom.

Southside Vision

Southside Elementary Museums Magnet School is a unique and challenging museums-based learning environment, which enables students to; Explore, Examine, Experiment, and Exhibit; therefore becoming self-directed, creative, critical thinkers.

The effort is organized by MuVE at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, where the Reclamation Project has been based since 2007.  On October 4th,Cortada, presented the project at a teacher workshop at the science museum.  Workshop participants focused on bringing eco-art to their schools and communities.  See below:

The FIU | College of Architecture + The Arts. engages our local and global communities by deploying the power of architecture + the arts to create, innovate, and inspire solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems. Offering 9 graduate and 8 undergraduate degrees within 7 academic departments, our more than 2,500 majors have the unique experience working with our award-winning faculty, in nationally ranked programs, in the heart of Miami — one of the country’s most vibrant, diverse, and creative cities! For more information, visit us at carta.fiu.edu.