Education Care Teams Exchange Expertise on Bonaire as EC2 and ECE Mark 15 Years
KRALENDIJK — Education care professionals from Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire gathered on Bonaire for a week of workshops and professional exchange as EC2 Saba and ECE Sint Eustatius marked their 15th anniversaries.
The gathering brought the two teams together with colleagues from EOZ Bonaire to compare approaches to supporting children with additional educational and developmental needs. Although the organisations share similar goals, the exchange highlighted differences in how services are organised and delivered on each island.
For EC2 Saba, the anniversary marks substantial growth. The organisation began with one staff member and now has a multidisciplinary team of fourteen, supporting children and young adults from birth to age 23. Its staff includes special education teachers, teaching assistants, personal educational assistants and specialists in language, early intervention, education, pedagogy and talent development. A psychologist is expected to join the team later this year.
During the gathering, participants attended sessions on trauma-sensitive education, Conscious Discipline, inclusive education and self-care. EC2 shared its experience with early intervention support and special education classrooms, and led sessions on giftedness and positive psychology.
ECE Sint Eustatius contributed information about its own programmes and activities, including ECE Connect, a mathematics workshop and its Open House. Reflecting on the exchange, the organisation highlighted lessons on adapting teaching for gifted children and the influence of communication on children’s development, behaviour and well-being.
The discussions also focused on the importance of building relationships with children and supporting the adults around them. On Saba, EC2 works with parents, the Baby Clinic, daycare, Sacred Heart School and Saba Comprehensive School. Based on the second floor of Sacred Heart School, its services cover learning, behaviour, early intervention, talent development and social-emotional support.
Both organisations see further cooperation between the islands as a way to strengthen their work. ECE identified follow-up exchange visits as an opportunity to examine how other centres operate and which approaches could be adapted locally. It also pointed to the potential benefits of expanding its team with staff from additional professional backgrounds.
The gathering provided a basis for continued contact between specialists across the three islands, allowing them to share resources and experience while responding to the different needs of their communities.
