Our Mission Statement
The mission of Bella Vista Adventist Academy is to offer, within the English language environment, the best Christian education possible that will help the students reach such spiritual, mental, social, and physical development as to being able to express freely their knowledge and personal relationship with God as well as to serve as responsible citizens in this world, and enjoy the world to come.
Our Vision
To develop and strengthen in our students a character that reflects a passion for learning, as well as develop a life of service to God and their fellowmen.
History
Founded in 1955, at Cerro Las Mesas in the city of Mayagüez, in front of a precious and majestic view in which the greatness of a powerful and sovereign God can be contemplated, Bella Vista Adventist Academy is born at Bella Vista Hospital.
Dr. William C. Duscombe, with other doctors and hospital administrators see the necessity of having a primary school for their children. They initially get together at Dr. Duscombe’s house connected to the Correspondence School of the Adventist Church (Home Schooling). In 1955 a formal school is initiated in a small structure located one block from the hospital. This school is named “Bella Vista Private School”. Classes given to the Adventist missionary children are in english. It starts with an enrollment of only twelve students of first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth grade.
The development of the school had doctors and health personnel, including nurses that helped as well. Three years later the enrollment increases to 31. That same year a school for non-adventist english-speaking children that lived in the community was opened.
Although the academy was initiated to offer english-speaking children a christian education in tune with the Seventh Day Adventist principles, in 1961 the doors were opened to include hispanic-speaking children who were also interested in receiving a bilingual education.
The school had only two teachers until 1966; from 1966 to 1970 it had three teachers, from 1970 to 1980 it had four teachers in a multi-grade system. In 1980, with the goal of accrediting the school under the laws of Puerto Rico, the enrollment by grades in spanish is initiated. In 1988-89 the school had one classroom for each grade, with its corresponding teacher.
During school year 1972-1973, the ninth grade is added to the curriculum. Four years later the tenth grade is incoporated. In school year 1989-1990 the twelfth grade is added and the school’s name is changed to Bella Vista Adventist Academy. The teaching staff is increased to 18 professors and the first graduating class had 14 students.
After being well recognized, the school is transferred from the Bella Vista Hospital to the West Adventist Association in 1998.
(Dr. M. Hernández Pérez, Reseña Histórica de la Obra Educativa Adventista en Puerto Rico, pages 75-84)