Chuck Maddox, Head of School, Boca Prep International School

In an interview with Invest:, Chuck Maddox, Head of School at Boca Prep International School, discussed how using the International Baccalaureate curriculum and a personalized approach helped develop well-rounded students. “Studies have shown that it’s the most rigorous education a student can achieve,” Maddox said.

What recent changes have affected Boca Prep International School?

Over the past year, we’ve been able to lean more into our international identity. We’re part of a broader organization called International Education Systems (IES), with schools around the world. We’re the only IES school located in the United States, which comes with its own opportunities.

We host summer programs on-site, in partnership with Lynn University, for IES students from across the globe. We’ve also been able to send students to our partner schools in different countries. We’re a very international school, with about 50% of our families being international.

Being able to champion and celebrate that on campus and send students out to experience what it truly means to be international has been welcomed by our community.

How has the education landscape changed in Palm Beach and South Florida?

Families are looking for more personalized education these days. There are hundreds of thousands of students in the School District of Palm Beach County, so families are seeking a more individualized approach. Microschools are popping up all over Florida, some as small as 20 students with one teacher making up the entire school. These microschools are often backed by different corporations but can be too small for some families.

Boca Prep is the happy medium between a large public school and a microschool. We offer a wide range of extracurriculars along with challenging academics, while maintaining that small-school feel. Taking the personalized approach of microschools and applying it in our setting as a full-service school has set us apart.

What is the value proposition of prep school for modern education? 

Our students apply and are accepted by colleges and universities all around the world. The value proposition is that parents can drop their child off in pre-K as a 3-year-old, and they can pick them up years later as a well-rounded, well-educated senior ready to tackle higher education.

We don’t know what the world will look like when they graduate, but we’re preparing students for an unknown future with the tools they need to adapt to any situation they might find.

How are you adapting the curriculum to the changing needs of the international student base?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum offered to schools around the world is not a prescribed program that tells us what to teach or which content students must learn. It’s about how we teach — IB is inquiry-driven instruction. We put the student at the center and help them take responsibility for their learning. IB students take the steering wheel in deciding where they want to go and how they want to learn.

Studies have shown it’s one of the most challenging educational paths a student can pursue, and providing that foundation sets them up for success in any setting. No matter where their future may take them, they have the tools to succeed — thanks to the IB program, our dedicated teachers, and the time we invest in guiding them along the way.

How does the school attract new students and drive growth? 

We all saw an increase in enrollment in Florida post-COVID. It seemed like everyone was relocating to Florida around 2021-2022, especially South Florida. The funnel is usually from the Northeast, with families moving down to South Florida to retire or to find a more comfortable life for their family, and we often become the school of choice for those families for a variety of reasons.

We are one of very few pre-K to grade 12 IB schools, covering the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme, and the Diploma Programme. Our international-mindedness has also drawn families to our school.

We have future plans to add a two-year-old program because that’s a need we see in the community. Daycares are very expensive and often full. Offering a 2-year-old program in an educational setting will start their learning journey early so they can be well-prepared for the future.

How does Boca Prep International leverage technology and innovation to prepare students for future academic environment and workforce demand?

AI is definitely a hot topic in education, and in every sector, right now. It’s similar to when Wikipedia came out. People, especially teachers, were wondering how to handle it. We’re helping teachers and students understand how to use AI as a thought partner, not a thought replacer. We want to teach them how to use it responsibly.

We’re helping students understand that it’s more about the process and less about the product. Students usually think that the most important aspect is the end product that they’re producing, which could be an essay, a project, or a test, and they’re just looking for that grade. But education needs to be more about the process of getting to that final product.

There are all kinds of ways technology use is increasing in society, so we are being mindful of tech addiction. The Anxious Generation outlines what social media and technology are doing to young people, and how the usage is rewiring their brains. We are very intentional about when and how to use technology, ensuring we’re using it judiciously and making smart choices in the classroom.

How does the school leverage the combination of academics, athletics, and arts to teach students transferable skills? 

We’re very proud of our performance programs. Students in grades 6 through 12 can participate in a performance program in the morning, before classes begin at 9:50 a.m. The programs include soccer, volleyball, swimming, tennis, golf, equestrian, fencing, athletics, theater, music, and visual arts.

Our modified schedule helps students become well-rounded so they’re able to pursue these interests while still receiving a rigorous education.

What expansion projects are in the pipeline for Boca Prep International?

The school’s been here since the early ’90s, so we’ve renovated here and there along the way. We recently updated  elementary classrooms with new flooring, furniture, and fresh coats of paint. We’re also adding a new building to the facility for our 2-year-old program, and our gym is currently being renovated as well.

There’s been a lot of growth and expansion, but we started with a beautiful campus. We have a full-size Olympic swimming pool, a soccer field, basketball courts, classroom spaces, a library — everything you’d expect. We continue adding to it over the years to keep it current, incorporating new technology and features to maintain that fresh, modern feel.

How does Boca Prep International adapt to the primary challenges facing the education industry? 

A lot of people want to dictate what schools can and can’t teach. The benefit of being an independent school is that we can take those recommendations while tailoring them to what we, as educational professionals, know is best for students.

We want students to be invested and involved in their education so they receive a well-rounded and thoughtful education.