An Intro From the Head of The Cushman School

I am honored to be a part of the 101-year legacy of Miami-Dade’s oldest, continuously operating independent school. Most recently in my 38-year tenure serving The Cushman School community, I’ve had the pleasure and honor of serving as the third Head of School maintaining our Founder Dr. Laura Cushman’s vision for a joyful and ambitious learning environment in which the development of character comes first, while also evolving our School to meet the needs of the dynamic educational landscape. Our School has grown significantly in the last two decades. We opened an Innovation Center, a high school division, a virtual school division, and state-of-the-art performing arts and athletics center to expand programming but have intentionally remained a boutique-sized hub for academic excellence. Personalizing an engaging educational experience for our students and their families is top priority.

For over a century, The Cushman School has fostered a culture of camaraderie, kindness and one in which strong character is celebrated. In an academically rigorous but warm environment, students’ receptiveness to learning is optimized, but they also thrive socially and emotionally and truly enjoy being at school. This leads to a lifelong appreciation for learning and a positive attitude and mindset to effectively navigate life. With each passing year, it seems ever more pressing to preserve our unique Cushman culture and continue to graduate the kind of thoughtful, engaged leaders our country and world need.

As a citizen in our city, I believe it is our collective responsibility to care for and educate one another. I’ve often said it takes a village to comprehensively educate all students so they are non-insular in their way of thinking and responding to others. We’ve always taken advantage of our School’s ideal location in international Miami’s Upper Eastside and the vast opportunities in our community to provide hands-on, experiential learning which focuses on contributing to the betterment of others. One example is the unique Society and Me (SAM) programming at Cushman High School. This four-year required course challenges each high school student to identify an issue of our time and design and deliver tangible solutions. Students work closely with city officials, other schools, non-profit organizations and/or businesses to better our community and the lives of others.

I’m so grateful for the passionate and dedicated team of Board members, administrators, expert faculty and professional staff whom I work alongside to preserve our school’s mission of cultivating happy, creative and engaged members of society who exemplify an exceptional character and a positive attitude. I am also so thankful for the generations of students and families who have embraced and contributed to the culture and exemplify the proven results that The Cushman School provides. I love what I do, where I live, and I’ve enjoyed serving so many families from all over the globe.

Aside from my passion to positively impact the lives of students, my greatest joys are my five children, Christopher, Jennifer, Christina, Jonathan and Leo, and their spouses, along with eight beautiful grandchildren. I’m a big believer in the power of family… and I invite you all, our neighbors in our community and beyond, to visit our campuses and learn more about our Cushman Family.

With love,

Dr. Arvi Balseiro
Head of The Cushman School