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Dominican Republic, Samana
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Samana International Academy opened in the summer of 2023. Founders Jason and Emily Ryan established the school. In 2022 the family purchased a rustic building on a large parcel of land and renovated it into a new school, funded solely by the family. The property covers more than 16,000 m2 (4+ acres) in Juana Vincenta, with fruits and vegetables, coffee and cacao trees, two natural springs, horses, goats, chickens, cats, and dogs, and offers 180-degree views of Samana Bay, Los Haitises National Park, and the islands of Cayo Levantado and Cayo La Farola. For the 2025-2026 year, the school offers grades 5K through 8th and welcomes world-schooling families; it is owned and independently operated and not affiliated with the Dominican Ministry of Education.
Student community is made up of families from all over the world. Classes are taught in English with Spanish and French lessons, and the curriculum includes English Language Arts, Math, History, Geography, Science, and Nature Studies. Open-air classrooms and outdoor settings unfold on a 16,000+ m2 property with a farm, fruit and vegetable plots, coffee and cacao trees, two natural springs, and animals, offering 180-degree views of Samana Bay. The school operates from August 14 to June 4, 8:30 to 3:45, Monday through Thursday, and parent involvement is encouraged (volunteering, classroom visits, or joining lunch).
Samana International Academy is an independent private school in Juana Vincenta, Samana, established in 2023 by Jason and Emily Ryan. Located on a 16,000 m2 farm, it offers an English‑medium program that blends a United States–based curriculum with Charlotte Mason, Waldorf Steiner, and Montessori philosophies. The school serves ages 4 to 14 and organizes classes in multi‑age groups for ages 5–14, with teacher‑to‑student ratios under 12:1. Most instructors are bilingual, and Spanish and French are offered, with ESL tutoring available. The campus features open‑air classrooms, an outdoor learning environment, and a farm with fruits, vegetables, coffee and cacao trees, two natural springs, animals, and 180‑degree views of Samana Bay and nearby islands. Curriculum emphasizes hands‑on, project‑based learning across science, technology, engineering, art, music, history, geography, and entrepreneurship, supported by field trips and independent research. Samana International Academy welcomes world‑schooling families and operates independently, not affiliated with the Dominican Ministry of Education.
