Arvi Balseiro, Head of School, The Cushman School

Invest: spoke with Arvi Balseiro, head of school for The Cushman School, about staying mission-driven in a fast-shifting education landscape and why community partnerships matter more than ever. “Schools must pay attention to the relevancy of what they’re doing, and never be stuck in something or cemented in a thought that we’ve had for 100 years. We need to be open to change,” Balseiro said.

How is The Cushman School positioning itself to remain an innovative and mission-driven institution with so many changes shaping the future of education?
Our school’s answer to a rapidly changing educational landscape is rooted in a paradox that has become our greatest strength: we are Miami-Dade’s oldest, continuously operating independent School (a 101-year-old institution) with a proven track record of matriculating kind, successful individuals, but we’ve made innovation and adaptability part of our programming from day one.

Our founder Dr. Laura Cushman’s vision for a joyful, ambitious, and inclusive school environment that best fosters learning was considered progressive at the time. Her methodology for a successful school still anchors our mission and philosophy today — even as our curriculum consistently evolves to support the needs of students and their families. Our school’s values align with exactly what the future demands (creativity, critical thinking, strong character, adaptability, and a global mindset), so having this consistent mission and philosophy has kept us relevant.

We’ve also continued to expand access to Cushman Education.  With Miami being a rapidly-growing global city and space in brick-and-mortar schools a challenge, we launched Cushman Virtual in 2022 to offer incredible flexibility for students in grades 6–12 and provide online access to a Cushman educational experience to students all over the country and the world. Our virtual students have unique opportunities to co-create a curriculum that combines a hybrid of in-person experiences with virtual academics to accommodate travel, athletic training, and their pursuit of talents. 

How is your programming built for an unpredictable future and an evolving job market?
Rather than chasing trends, Cushman designs programming based on brain research that develops essential skills to thrive in a dynamic world. The four-year Society and Me (SAM) Challenge is a required upper school course in which every Cushman High School student identifies pressing issues of our time, conducts significant research, utilizes a professional network, and develops creative solutions to real-world problems. Our graduates are already problem-solvers — not just prepared for college, but they are equipped with the compassion and mindset to tackle careers that may not exist yet.

Our curriculum throughout all divisions is designed to appropriately challenge our students based on their individual needs, foster creative thinking and entrepreneurship, and develop confidence, communication skills, and character. Some of our specialized tracks at the high school include Pre-Law, Biomedical, and Design Art & Technology (DAT), alongside 31 AP courses and dual enrollment. Students have a chance to pursue advanced diplomas like AP Capstone and participate in multiple internship opportunities. The goal is to keep our students engaged and interested in the learning journey, not just achieving a score.

We consistently and thoughtfully integrate the latest technology — including emerging tools like AI — into the curriculum. We believe technology should enrich and deepen the learning experience, but not replace the meaningful human connections, mentorship, and interpersonal relationships that are at the heart of a Cushman education.

How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your school’s programming?
The proof that our programming works is evidenced by what our students actually do. Our 11th-grade student Arihant Jaggi co-founded the Young Coders Initiative, dedicating over 2,500 hours to mentoring more than 700 students in coding education across Miami, South Florida, and international locations — with chapters now reaching Chicago, Dubai, and New Delhi. This is one of many examples of a student who learned how to be an “Innovator of Change” and became one.

For over a century, Cushman has set the bar in academic excellence with its focus on inspiring strength of character. Because of this success in pre-K through middle school, the high school division was added in 2016 after much demand from our families to extend through the critical high school years. Cushman High School has a 100% graduation rate. All of our graduates go on to college or a specialty school, to 100 colleges and universities across the United States and the world. Over 40% of our graduates attend a top 100 University in the U.S., including many Ivies and ultra-competitive programs. Our Class of 2025 collectively earned over $6.5 million in merit scholarships, an impressive number for an intentionally small class size of 54 seniors.

How does Cushman maintain its personalized connections with its students and retain top educators in this market?
We intentionally scale for personalization and retention of top educators.

Cushman maintains a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1, making it among the most intimate in South Florida. Small student-to-teacher ratios and ample teacher assistance allow for individualized instruction and meaningful connections. 

When a teacher can see each student clearly, respond to them personally, and watch their growth unfold over years, the work becomes intrinsically rewarding. Aside from most of our educators holding master’s degrees and exceptional credentials, we hire teachers who love to teach and inspire students to love to learn. We want our students to want to be in school, and we want our faculty to model the joy of educating. The result is a legacy of faculty with tremendous tenure, dedication, and commitment to our students and our school’s mission, as well as curious students who are lifelong learners – another critical characteristic of successful individuals in a rapidly-changing world.

What distinguishes Cushman’s early childhood program, and how does it nurture curiosity and a lifelong love of learning?
In Dr. Laura Cushman’s philosophy, the first tenet is a happy attitude. When you begin with your youngest learners, you are setting the stage for lifelong learning that extends beyond Cushman. Curiosity, exploration, and developmentally intentional programming ignite that process.

We take the best from different models, including the Reggio Emilia approach that treats learning as alive and deeply connected to what children are curious about. Learning is not confined to a textbook. From hands-on projects to enrichment opportunities, students develop the knowledge, confidence, and agency to take ownership of their learning. 

The arts are embedded in our primary and elementary programs, from music and singing to performance and instruments. These experiences build dispositions that matter in a global society. Students learn to share ideas, look someone in the eye, and speak with poise and confidence.

We hold monthly assemblies where students get on stage. By the time they are older, they can walk into any setting and communicate clearly. That kind of skill is increasingly rare in a distracted world.

How does Cushman foster strong partnerships with parents and meaningful engagement within the broader community?
We are always seeking opportunities for our students through partnerships with our families, businesses, and other schools. This creates the “village” it takes to effectively and comprehensively educate our students. Our parents are our greatest partners in shaping their child’s education. They are often invited to campus to be an active part of their student’s educational journey and share their expertise and perspectives through activities in the classroom and/or enriching events designed into the curriculum. 

We also enjoy working with businesses and other schools to add breadth and depth to our offerings. For example, partnerships with Florida International University’s School of Education include STEAM initiatives, field testing of an innovative math program, and a certification as an internationally recognized Habits of Mind school.

What do the arts and extracurricular programs contribute to leadership development and personal growth?
We believe in experiential learning and that students learn best by doing. Providing enriching experiences also allows students to discover their talents and passions, broaden their appreciation and perspectives, and challenge them to become leaders, advocates, athletes, performers, and communicators. Our vast offerings of clubs, electives, and extracurricular activities, as well as field trips and travel abroad programs, ensure Cushman students gain the most experiences to positively impact their social, emotional, and intellectual growth during these fundamental years.

Our primary and elementary students can participate in a host of after-school club offerings between 3 and 4 pm each day. From club sports that help them develop their athletic skills to multiple performing arts offerings to building Legos, these clubs give students the opportunity to explore and create from the comfort of their school campus.

Additional age-appropriate clubs and electives are offered throughout middle school and high school that further challenge students and allow them exposure to disciplines they may choose to study in college. Field trips and travel opportunities also ramp up in middle school. Our high school students have traveled to destinations like Iceland, Italy, and the Galapagos Islands and continue to say these are some of their most profound memories with their peers. 

What is your vision for Cushman’s future?
We want to continue to expand access to the Cushman educational experience without sacrificing our culture and personalization. Our board of trustees plays an important role in building capacity and space for advanced programming while remaining true to our mission. We are strengthening offerings in STEM, robotics, biotech, and emerging technologies so students gain experiential learning in evolving fields.

We want students not only to develop adaptable mindsets, but also to gain exposure to areas shaping the global economy.

The Cushman School has been setting the standard in education for decades. Our timeless founding philosophy, grounded in educating the whole child; an evolving curriculum aimed at creative design thinking and adaptability; programs that require students to engage with the real world; and a focus on maintaining a joyful, inclusive school culture: these are the characteristics of a school that continues to lead into the next century.