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Costa Rica International Academy

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Costa Rica International Academy - Serving Diverse International Community

Costa Rica International Academy was founded as a private, English-language, co-educational, non-sectarian school. The purposes and standards of the school are comparable to selective U.S. independent and college-preparatory schools.

The School was founded in 2000 in a small facility near Flamingo Beach. In 2002, the School moved to a property with a near-finished building on the road between Huacas and Brasilito, near Reserva Conchal and the current Westin Resort. The building was remodeled, and a covered gym, pool, athletic field, staff housing and a cafeteria were built. 

In 2004, a new high school building with classrooms, science lab, library, computer lab and administrative offices were built. By August of 2007, the school completed a new elementary and early childhood building of 16 classrooms, administrative offices, and a new multifunctional cafeteria/auditorium. Since its founding, CRIA has grown from 40 students to 200+ in 2020.

CRIA is recognized throughout Costa Rica and by international university admissions officers for the academic excellence demanded of its students, its college preparatory program, the depth and range of its academic and co-curricular programs, and the quality and dedication of its faculty. Classes are small, averaging 18 students in the primary and 22 students in the secondary. An experienced faculty drawn from the United States, Costa Rica and other countries is guided by a teaching philosophy that challenges and supports students to be independent learners and thoughtful citizens.

CRIA is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) and by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education (MEP). The school offers a U.S. high school diploma and a range of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. CRIA has an excellent track record of preparing students for top Costa Rican universities. In partnership with the Grand Canyon University dual enrollment program, CRIA juniors and seniors have the opportunity to earn college credit while still in the CRIA HS program.

CRIA respects all creeds, religions, and points of view. The school does not undertake religious instruction nor blend secular and sectarian education. At the same time, moral values and spiritual issues have a place in the educational process. Values such as fairness, justice, compassion, honesty, and the Golden Rule are taught without a religious label. Faculty and staff conduct reflect these values and serve as models for the students.

CRIA is proud to offer a specifically designed Early Years Program that utilizes the best researched-based practices.  The program is guided by internationally recognized organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is in line with recognized standards of both international and American schools worldwide.

Our early years’ children are immersed in a dual language environment where all of the teachers give instruction and feedback in both English and Spanish.

The Early Years Program at CRIA supports children in developmentally appropriate groups:

Toddlers

2 years old by September 15 of the academic year enrolled. The Toddlers program is a multi-age class for two and three-year-olds.

Pre-Kindergarten

4 years old by September 15

Kindergarten

5 years old by September 15

Young children learn best through direct sensory encounters with the world, rather than through abstract and formal academic procedures. The program is supported by qualified, committed adults who guide young children in their acquisition of knowledge and their development of content, skills, and attitudes.

Toddler Program

Through years of experience, we know that play is a powerful tool for learning. Experiences with sand, water, building blocks, dramatic play, table toys, art materials, music, outdoor play, and games are integral to a child’s development. Play activities encourage exploration and experimentation, spark curiosity and imagination, and build children’s abilities to solve problems. In addition, play also provides children with opportunities to experiment with language and work cooperatively with others. Children enter school at various stages of social, emotional, physical, and academic development. Because of our holistic educational approach, our teachers strive to meet each child’s individual needs and learning styles within those four domains. Our teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) build safe and happy environments where the students have time for individual play and begin to work cooperatively in small groups to learn to listen to and respect others. The teachers and TAs structure activities and experiences based not only on developmental readiness but also on student interests.  Our ultimate goal is to create enthusiastic, lifelong learners.

Students enjoy specialist classes in art, music, physical education, and library.

Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K)

The Pre-K child’s world is rapidly expanding. While the children are very much focused on themselves and their families, they also are excited to learn about the world around them. Children at this age are developing both their independence and social skills. Children in Pre-K have a lot of energy and curiosity and our Pre-K classrooms offer innovative and hands-on experiences to support their enthusiasm for learning. Play continues to be the vehicle through which children learn in Pre-K. Language, emergent literacy, math, collaboration, and cooperation continue to help the children build the strong foundational skills to succeed in school and life.

Students enjoy specialist classes in art, music, physical education, and library.

Kindergarten (KG)

The KG child learns new concepts through experimentation and discovery. Children solve problems and make predictions by observing objects and people in the world around them and by making connections to what they already know. Children at this age are able to think in more complex ways.

KG is both thematic and interdisciplinary. We incorporate social studies, art, mathematics, and science into all aspects of the curriculum. We study thematic units based on the interests of the children in the classroom. Units might include life cycles, teamwork, and other topics in science and/or mathematics. 

Students enjoy specialist classes in art, music, physical education, and library.

The Primary Program is a balanced, standards-based curriculum adapted from the Virginia State Standards of Learning (SoL).  The intent is to make transitions into our school and back to the U.S., to other American international schools, and from other elementary schools in Costa Rica, as smooth as possible.

Our student body represents the diverse community found in this area of Costa Rica. Primary classrooms are self-contained and foster a safe learning environment.

In the 2020-21 school year, the school day consists of seven 45-minute periods and two breaks, one mid-morning and one mid-day for lunch. The day begins at 8:00am and ends at 3:00pm, followed by after school activities.

The weekly schedule includes a variety of special classes. Every class visits the library at least once a week, which is located in the primary building. The library has a wide selection of children’s literature and general research materials that support the primary curriculum. Other specials including Visual Arts, STEM Lab (for grades 3-5), Music, P.E., Health, Swimming, and Costa Rica Social Studies are taught weekly. Primary teachers also schedule times to use the computer lab and tablets within their classroom, integrating technology into the curriculum.

Teachers are required to plan curricular field trips to enhance the learning experience and take advantage of the rich, natural environment of Costa Rica.

Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Spanish are taught daily. There are leveled Spanish classes taught by native speakers. In grades 1-2, children are immersed in a dual language environment where all of the teachers give instruction and feedback in both English and Spanish. Primary subjects build a solid foundation of skills and abilities including cognitive, affective, and social skills.

Character development is an important part of primary education. Teachers work together to support student growth. Due to the nature of a small school, students receive guidance not only from the School Counselor, but also form their homeroom teacher the entire primary faculty.

The Secondary Program (Grades 6-12) is a standards-based curriculum culminating in a college preparatory Advanced Placement (AP) program and options for dual enrollment university courses while still a CRIA HS student. Academic subjects in the middle years provide a pre-AP foundation that prepares students to be successful in high school AP and dual enrollment courses. The curriculum foundation is adapted from the Virginia State Standards of Learning (SoL).  The intent is to make transitions into our school and back to the U.S. or transfers from other schools in Guanacaste and San Jose Costa Rica as smooth as possible.

Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the school day consists of seven 45-minute periods and two breaks, one in mid-morning and one at mid-day for lunch. The day begins at 8:00am with homeroom by grade levels and ends at 3:00pm, followed by after school sports and activities. 

Off-campus field trips are an integral part of the Secondary Program. Generally these are planned to extend the curriculum to take advantage of our natural setting in Costa Rica. Community service is a regular feature of the program at every grade level.

The entire campus is a WiFi zone for wireless Internet. The Secondary Program utilizes a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. The Secondary science program is supported by fully equipped labs for biology, chemistry, and physics. The school library includes general research materials and books and periodicals for leisure reading.

Electives are offered by each academic area and include Visual Arts and P.E. The Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered each year, dependent upon demand. These may include English Language and Composition, Calculus, World History, US History, Biology, Computer Science, Spanish Language and Culture, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Statistics and others.

Other activities include yearbook, newspaper, drama groups, student government, the U.S. National Honor Society, The Model United Nations and various social service and ecological groups. The school is a center of social and cultural events for our community, and visiting performers, artists, and speakers are featured each year. 

The Secondary Program has a very strong Spanish component, with 1/3 of the classes each day in Spanish including 4 levels of language instruction from beginners to native speakers.

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New Gateway International School

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New Gateway International School - Preparing Generations Towards Growth and Prosperity

1. Please mention about the school and its mission/vision and various infrastructural facilities.

NGIS vision is to prepare a generation of thinking and committed citizens who are capable of contributing towards Cambodia’s continued growth and prosperity. Constantly revisiting the curriculum, the school ensures that the skills and knowledge taught meet the challenges of the 21st century and the millennium goals set by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Students are exposed to International Learning Standards while preserving and retaining their Cambodian traditions, culture and identity.

New Gateway International School empowers students to achieve educational, professional and personal success through lifelong learning in our dynamic environment. Students will be prepared to be future leaders and responsible and caring members of the Cambodian society. We provide specialized, comprehensive and supportive educational experiences to foster academic integrity and encourage lifelong learning. The school boasts of a three wing multi -storey building equipped with a library , playground, sports area, ICT Room , Music Room , Art Room , Lunch Area , Nap Rooms as well as a Sick Bay. Each Air-Conditioned Class is equipped with a projector for E-learning as well as students use laptops equipped with E-Books.

2. Kindly mention about the prominent personality of the school and his/her role in the development of the school.

New Gateway International School is led by the honourable Oknha Bun Nary , a visionary who places at heart the needs of her fellow Cambodians as she strives to provide affordable education without the compromise of quality, her aim is to make it a dream come true for most Cambodians to gain access to International Education without burning a hole in their pockets .

3. Kindly describe about the various courses offered by the school and their salient features.

Broad based Curriculum .The NGIS curriculum aims to nurture each child to his/her full potential, to discover his/her talents and to develop in his/her passion of life-long learning. Students go through a broad range of experiences to develop the skills and values they will need for their lives. The broad based curriculum imparts literacy, numeracy, trilingualism, the sciences, humanities, aesthetics, physical education, and moral education.
The curriculum has been revised to address the need for common set of values, knowledge and competencies and at the same time, allow differentiation to meet the need of students with different talents and abilities. To be able to achieve the learning outcomes of each specific subject and the DOE, three broad areas are considered, namely, the curriculum, teaching strategies and assessment.

New Gateway International School is nestled in the heart of Phnom Penh ,a trilingual school that places its focus on three curriculums mainly the Early Years Learn through Play Programme , Cambridge English Primary Checkpoint and Secondary Checkpoint . The Cambridge Checkpoint is an intermediary stage for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) students in which they build on their understanding and skills in English, Science and Mathematics. Examinations , the Cambodian Education Academic Programme which is endorsed by the Ministry of Education ,Youth and Sports of Cambodia (MOEYS ). The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport is the government ministry responsible for promoting and regulating education, youth and sport development, in Cambodia and followingly the Chinese Programme which accords the HSK certification .The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, translated as the Chinese Proficiency Test, is the standardized test of Standard Chinese language proficiency of China for non-native speakers such as foreign students and overseas Chinese.

The Cambridge framework provides curricula for the key subjects of English (or English as an Additional Language), Mathematics and Science. Other subjects are based upon the English National Curriculum. They include Art, Geography, History, ICT (Computers), Music, Physical Education, and Personal and Social Education

4. Please mention what steps are you taking beyond the traditional curriculum to ensure overall development of the students?
-Focusing on Critical Thinking Skills which helps students to be Future Ready with the current global needs and demands of Practical skills.

-Combining both Practical Application and Theoretical Knowledge is essential for learning . For instance ,students are encouraged by teachers to apply the concept of knowledge in their daily lives and this is evident during a Mathematics lesson of Area and Perimeter ,students start of by measuring their classrooms or return home to measure and calculate a space at their homes to give them the ability to apply skills learnt in instead of solely solving Mathematical Problems in the Textbooks. Students also build 3D Mathematical shapes from recyclable materials in an aim to inculcate the healthy habit of recycling, stimulating creativity as well as being innovative. During an English Lesson, a cooking session enables students to use the Sequence Connectors to practice their speaking Skills to further harness their comprehension of the English Language as well as Proficiency. NGIS Teachers strike a fine balance between inductive and deductive lesson preparation in teaching and learning , possibly steering majorly towards the inductive methods .Our students are able to confidently present their findings on assigned topics related to a Subject or a Topic in English, Chinese and Khmer which promotes trilingualism besides preparing for the rigorous Examinations and Tests .
-At NGIS we integrate our Cambridge based Curriculum alongside Project Based Learning (PBL) a student-centered pedagogy concept ideal for our Adolescent learners and Young Learners alike. This enables students various opportunities to conduct projects, researches, findings and experiments based on topics learnt. For our young learners , Teachers are utilizing Visual Arts and Music to engage and stimulate learner’s interest for example the Time’s Table Rap and The Healthy Food Pyramid Chant.

21st Century Learning- Usage of E-Books , Laptops and Google Classroom as a Platform for E-Learning . Throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic NGIS was competent enough to continue Online Learning via an array of platforms such as Zoom , Telegram , Google Classroom , Google Hang Outs. Student enrollment was maintained as lessons were conducted as usual based on the regular on Campus Programmes. Classes are equipped with projectors and desktops in addition to students using their laptops.

5. What steps does the school take to motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education?

New Gateway International School or as it is reckoned as NGIS enhances the learners experience by engaging the concepts of STEM which is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics this is an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Students take part in STEM SECONDARY exhibitions that range from PERFORM STEM Primary and Secondary, Performing Arts which includes song ,dance and the playing of instruments that revolve around a Scientific theme . STEM PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ART CONTEST which provides a platform for students to express their Scientific and Mathematical ability via Art.

NGIS students also engage in International Competitions such as the OWLYPIA – The Intellectuals’ Challenge is an international platform for students aged 9-11 (Owlins), 12-14 (Owlets) and 15-18 (Owlys). This platform is where you think, write, discuss and enjoy! . Subjects of interest includes Art and Design, Economics and Business, Literature and Culture, Science and Technology and Social Sciences which complements the subjects strand and sub strand in the Cambridge Curriculum . The aims are to inspire intellectual curiosity and develop research skills and academic confidence in young minds.

Besides applying the concept of STEM the school also focuses on holistic learning concepts that impart the importance of respect , understanding , empathy and our highly competitive students at NGIS enjoy partaking in the IMEC (International Mathematics Exam Center) a Mathematics Competition conducted annually and organized by the committee of IMEC. The mission is to advance the understanding of Mathematics.
NGIS partakes in Public Speaking Competitions organized by Springboard Cambodia which aims to improve the capacity of critical thinking, public speaking as well as debating skills. Students learn to engage academically, but also to think out of the box ,to learn and thrive in challenging academic settings beyond the classroom.
Our Senior Management Leaders possess extensive experience in the education arena enabling them to enhance and fine tune the curriculum development process . The capability of trilingualism is also evident as the Educators consist of a multinational team , most of who are competent to communicate in array of languages such as English , Chinese (Mandarin), French , Dutch ,Deutsch ,and Spanish .

6.How are you providing financial assistance to the students in need?

NGIS offers educational scholarships for potential students with stellar results students who are in Grade 9 .

7. What are the career opportunities available to the students after completion of their courses?

At NGIS our students are able to pursue conventional careers and non- conventional careers. Career fields include those in Science and Engineering , Liberal Arts and IT.

8. Other than traditional, occupations, what other career field options are available for them?

Biotechnology , Animation , Research and Development in Health Sciences, Fashion Studies , Digital Arts as well as careers in Green Energy hence the incorporation of STEM.

9. Please enlighten us about the school’s major awards/achievements, its accomplished/renowned alumni, remarkable collaborations, and major accreditations.

Under -12 Cambodian Cup
Participating STEM School
PERFORM STEM PRIMARY – Musical performance feature
PERFORM STEM SECONDARY – Scientific Rap performance feature
OWLYPIA GOLD AWARD (OWLETS) Category.
First Virtual STEM Challenge Award Category Winner- Social Sciences and Public Health
Finalist for MOEYS Mathematics and Science Olympiad held in Vietnam
Public Speaking Champion in Phnom Penh Cambodia
Full Band 6 Scores in Primary and Secondary Checkpoint Examinations.
Cambridge Exams Preparation Centre -Silver Certification and Accreditation by Cambridge
Collaboration with Bright Education Cambodia as the Local Host and Organiser of the Local Owlypia Rounds ,
Collaborations with Bright Education for Tertiary Education Opportunities.

10.Kindly elaborate about the future plans of the school in the same.

NGIS plans to possibly introduce Cambridge C.E.M and Cambridge IGCSE alongside the current Checkpoint Examinations , Chess Competitions , Fashion Studies ,Tertiary Education Counselling Club, Performing Arts, Upgrading of Science Laboratories and Sports ground. Introduction of STEM International Olympiad . Introduction of possible Foreign Languages , NGIS is in the process of building and establishing more campuses in the near future.

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Web Link Test

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Dalat International School Malaysia

Co – Education
Day School
    +971 2 510 0100
    https://www.bisabudhabi.com
    Behind Abu Dhabi University – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
    info@dalat.org
Overview/Mission/Vision

Dalat International School, founded in 1929 in Dalat, Vietnam, is an American Pre-K-grade 12 school on the island of Penang in the northern region of the West Malaysia peninsula. The school relocated to Penang in 1971 to continue its mission to provide an education for life founded on a Biblical worldview. Dalat now educates more than 700 students from Malaysia and 25+ countries worldwide, and maintains an outstanding boarding program for students in grades 6-12 whose families may live and work outside of Penang. Dalat International School is the only school outside of the United States to achieve exemplary accreditation from the Association of Christian Schools International, and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. All Dalat students participate in service outreach, helping to demonstrate and model greater understanding and commitment to Servant Leadership. Students entering Dalat must have a good grasp of the English language before being admitted so that they can be successful in the rigorous academic environment. If financial aid is required for a student to attend Dalat International School, the family’s needs will be evaluated on a case-by- case basis. Dalat employs a professional workforce comprised primarily of American-educated teachers and administrators. The American teaching pedagogy accomplishes goals to prepare students for higher education, serve their communities, and to contribute to the workforce. In recent years, Dalat International School has grown at a pace like no other time in its 90-year history, the largest percentage of growth represented by native Malaysian students who now make up nearly one-third of the student body. Dalat maintains strong relationships with the families of students by hosting parent and family events, providing parents’ access to campus, and engaging an active Parent-Teacher Organization to support children and teachers. A commitment to excellent communication with families on all levels, including a world-class website and social media presence (www.dalat.org), is a hallmark of Dalat’s administration.

Facilities

Dalat implemented a campus development plan that has dramatically transformed the beautiful tropical seaside campus. The school was enhanced and strengthened for the future as new purpose-built, multi-story buildings replaced aging and obsolete structures. First to be completed in 2016 was the Center for the Arts, Sciences, Technology, and Learning Education (CASTLE), which includes a large library, science and technology classrooms, computer labs, and student services. In 2017, Dalat completed a new boarding facility called the Lighthouse, housing three separate dormitories for up to 48 students. The third and largest building, the Harbor, includes high school classrooms, administrative offices, a 500-seat auditorium, and accompanying parking areas. The newest building, The Galley, a cafeteria with a second-story multi-purpose recreation space, will be completed by January of 2021. These new buildings are added to existing single-level Elementary classrooms that surround a courtyard with a playground, a multi-level Middle School building, playing fields, and a large gym.

School Leadership

An active Board of Governors comprised of parents, alumni, and community members oversees Dalat International School. Dalat alumnus and Head of School Karl Steinkamp, and Deputy Head of School Shawna Wood manage daily operations. Three principals (high school, middle school and elementary school) lead their respective divisions.

Strategic Plan

Dalat’s Board of Governors and school leadership are entering the fourth year of a school-wide Strategic Plan that drives the school’s vision for the future. Four primary outcome objectives were identified, including 1.) Authentic Transformation, 2.) Innovative Learners, 3.) Passionate Personnel, and 4.) Intentional Community. Dalat aims to promote authentic community engagement, and attract and develop exceptional Christ-centered educators. Additionally, we will foster spiritual growth, create relevant and innovative learning experiences, and inspire students to have a Biblical and global perspective in order to influence their world.

Academics

Dalat’s American education curriculum and instruction provides a broad basis in general education and a strong preparation for entry into university systems worldwide. All students are given ample opportunities within the curricula and through daily extra-curricular programs to explore and develop a variety of interests and skills. In addition to the basic school day, Dalat offers an added optional extended curriculum in each division giving students topics of personal interest to explore. All grade levels benefit from an active and engaged team of Guidance Counselors who provide academic and personal assistance, as well as a Learning Supports team who aid students that need extra help with learning. Dalat assists advanced English language learners with an English as an Additional Language program. A deeper dive into Dalat’s American school curricula can be found at https://www.dalat.org/web/curriculum-archive/main-2/. ● Elementary (Preschool – grade 4) Elementary students are inspired to do their best, think creatively and critically, and to work cooperatively with their peers. Life skills development is important, as they learn to be respectful, responsible, helpful, and safe citizens. As a school, we value holistic education, character development, differentiated instruction, and active learning. In addition to core subjects, students in grades K-4 study music and art, Bible, and physical education. ● Middle School (grades 5-8) The Middle School years are some of the most formative in the life of a student. Grades 5-8 are key years where students learn to develop healthy relationships with peers, begin to explore diverse interests, and develop skills and habits that will serve them throughout their lives. At Dalat, our goal in these years is to guide Middle Schoolers through the maturing transformation from childhood through their teens and beyond. Middle School students at Dalat receive a well-rounded education, studying core subjects of English, Mathematics, History and Science, plus a wide variety of other subjects to explore. All Middle School students take band, physical education, Bible and art classes, and may take additional electives. Our goal is to present students with quality educational experiences in a diverse array of focus areas. ● High School (grades 9-12) Dalat’s high school curriculum provides 24 units of credit over four years, culminating in the American high school diploma. The curriculum and instruction provide a broad basis in general education and a strong preparation for university systems worldwide, but that is only the start of the broad array of learning provided to Dalat students. Students may also choose to study Mandarin or Spanish languages. Dalat kicks off a partnership with Grand Canyon University in the 2020–21 school year to provide qualified high school students enrollment in college courses prior to graduation. GCU offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are accepted by the vast majority of American colleges. All of these programs challenge high school students with classes and activities to prepare them for post-secondary education in any field they wish to pursue. Dalat is growing a mission-driven regional outreach program for high school students called IMPACT, designed to introduce and model best practices in 21st century American and Christian outreach. Integrating outreach efforts with organizations already working throughout Southeast Asia gives students life-impacting outcomes, alongside a sense of belonging and contribution.

Boarding & Residence Life

The Dalat boarding community is a home away from home for families who want their students to grow in nurtured independence. Living in the dorms is a great way to make new friends and learn life skills while living in a supportive and encouraging environment. The home-like atmosphere helps students feel comfortable, secure and well cared for. Our dorms are family-style, which means each dorm includes both genders and a variety of ages (grades 6 to 12). This creates a close-knit family atmosphere, fosters healthy relationships between dorm students of different ages, and allows siblings to live together in the same dorm. Dorm family-bonding opportunities help students make lasting connections and grow a sense of belonging. Activities from birthday parties, special outings and activities, family devotions and cooking, to service projects, Christmas parties, and an annual dorm retreat make dorm life special. Parents traveling to Penang short-term can stay in with their children in a family apartment. Available to students in grades 9-12, Life Prep families may choose one-quarter or one-semester options for their students to live in the dorms while developing practical skills guided by adult dorm parents.

Community Service & Leadership Development

All Dalat students engage in active service projects, outreach efforts, and volunteer opportunities throughout the school year to learn team building, how to care for those less fortunate, and ways to impact their communities and the world for good. Student Care and Share volunteers learn the value of service working throughout the island of Penang and on the mainland with refugees, at orphanages, in local schools and in small rural villages. Dalat students are encouraged to apply for and serve in leadership positions. American governance models enable students to run and be elected by and serve their classmates by making key decisions through a democratic process. They are guided by advising teachers in every division, with more extensive leadership opportunities available during the high school years.
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The 10 Best Schools in Oman 2020

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USA International School

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USA International School - Transforming students into passionate, creative, and responsible citizens

1. Please mention about the school and its mission/vision and various infrastructural facilities.

United Standard Academy (USA) International School (USAIS) was founded by a group of Cambodian educators in 2001 in Battambang Province. USAIS opened its doors welcoming students in Phnom Penh for the first time in 2011.

 

Our Vision: USAIS aims to transform our students into passionate, creative, and responsible citizens that are empowered to actively engage in challenging and meaningful work in the world around them.

 

Our Mission: The mission of USAIS is to work in partnership with students, family, and community in order to unleash students’ full potential by giving them the tools to pursue their personal goals and to enrich their community.

 

Our Core Values: Respectful, Responsible, Resourceful (3Rs)

 

2. Kindly mention about the prominent personality of the school and his/her role in the development of the school.

The success of our school is attributed to the collective effort of our board of directors and the parents. Our board directors comprises of passionate individuals who believe in the power of the education, and more importantly they all believe that parents’ involvements is crucial to a child’s success in school. As a result, we have regular parent-teacher meeting in which parents are invited to school to discuss their child’s academic progress with the teachers. Besides this, we are open for constructive feedback from parents on a daily basis for the betterment of the quality of educational services provided.

 

3. Kindly describe about the various courses offered by the school and their salient features.

USA International School offer a bilingual program for students from pre-school to primary level. USAIS follows Cambodian National Curriculum and Cambridge International Curriculum for our pre-school and primary level program. We adopt a STEM-based curriculum of New Generation Schools, new reform inaugurated by the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport of Cambodia, for our secondary program. Our students are encouraged take part in academic and non-academic program within and outside the school such as Spelling Bees, Public Speaking Competition, Art Exhibition, Students Talent Shows, the National STEM Festival, and also exchange program with school partner abroad.

 

4. What steps does the school take to motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education?

 

Our school motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education by enhancing the practical knowledge of the students because we believe that once the students can use the knowledge they have earned from school in a meaningful way, they will be more interested and motivated in education.

 

Our project-based instruction, assessments, and opportunities that we offer for our students to expose themselves to the real world such as public exhibition, study tours, outdoor activities, as well as exchange programs abroad ensure our goal of ensuring the knowledge taught at school is practical and relevant. Our student club also serves as a platform for our students to practice the knowledge and skills learned in the class come in the real world. Furthermore, we have our community exposure program in which guest speakers are invited to come to school to give lectures as well as demonstrations to our students on various practical topics.

 

This program gives students an opportunity to speak to experts from different fields. Last but not the least, our international exchange program enable our students to interact and connect with their peers from other cultural backgrounds, and at the same time to learn about new practical knowledge and skills such as; cross-cultural communities, conflict resolution skills, and so on. More importantly, this program opens a door for our students to showcase their own capacity and creative minds to the world.

 

5. How are you providing financial assistance to the students in need?

 

Though our school is a pure private school without getting any subsidy from the government or any organization, we usually offer certain scholarship to students each year.

 

6. Other than traditional occupations, what other career field options are available for them?

 

USAIS is a K-12 school, so after graduating from our school, our students usually pursue their degree in different university in Cambodia as well as outside the countries before they start their career path. Within the time with us, our students are exposed to different career path through our career guide program so that they are able to make a well informed decision when choosing university major to pursue.

 

7. Please enlighten us about the school’s major awards/achievements, its accomplished/renowned alumni, remarkable collaborations, and major accreditations.

 

USA International School emphasizes not only academic excellence but more importantly character building. Our academic and non-academic teams always hold our students accountable for their own behavior and choices by consistently implementing our rigorous disciplinary procedures.

 

Academically, students are taught by our enthusiastic and experienced teachers who are continuously trained to be well informed about new teaching strategies and technique. Our up-to-date curriculum and teaching methodologies ensure that our students are well equipped with necessary knowledge and 21st century skills to become successful adults. Last but not least, students’ safety is our priority. We are working to ensure that each and every student is physically and mentally safe.

 

There is always at least one adult to supervise our students in the common areas including but not limited to school lobby, library, playground, hallway and stairway. Furthermore, our healthy food program is another example of our effort to be keep our students physically strong and at the same time build our students healthy living style. Students at USAIS are equipped with an ability that meets an international standard without neglecting Cambodian cultures and traditions. Remarkably, we have students who are studying at our school pursuing their studies in different countries such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and so on.

 

We also have partnership agreement and collaboration with local and international partners such as Robothink Cambodia, I.A.M.A Cambodia, Youth Ambassadors (Singapore), and schools in Singapore, Malaysia, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. If parents are looking for a school where their children are multi-culturally competent, USA International School is the primary choice.

 

8. Kindly elaborate about the future plans of the school in the same.

 

USA International School aims to become a go-to inclusive international school operated by local educators. Currently, we are supporting our students with special needs to the best of our abilities and skills. In the future, we are expecting to be capable in accommodating more and more special needs children. We are building leadership and responsibility within our students at all levels. In short, we are committed to becoming a school where future leaders come from.

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MySchool International

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MySchool International: Going Beyond The Classic Approaches of Education

    1. 1. Please mention about the school and its mission/vision and various infrastructural facilities.

       

      MySchool International(MSI) is located in Muscat, Oman, serving KG to grade 12. It was founded in 2012 by an experienced Omani leadership. The school today caters for students from different nationalities, with teachers from diverse countries. MySchool is a recognized IB world school, certified in PYP(Primary Years Programme) and an MYP candidate(Middle Years Programme). Fundamental to our teaching and learning approach is the recognition that children are natural inquirers who will develop socially, physically and academically in different times and at different speeds, as we believe that education is a process, not a race.

       

      MySchool Vision

      We go beyond the classic approaches of Education. We offer the most innovative and the latest International Curriculums. We are deep-rooted in our values. We develop critical thinkers and responsible citizens in a peaceful world.

       

      MySchool Mission

      MySchool aims to develop a learner who believes in the hopes of the homeland, meets the aspirations of the progress and bears in mind the international changes. A learner who is deep- rooted in the Omani values and heritage, familiar with all the methods enabling to be an inquirer and a long life learner.

       

      2. Kindly mention about the prominent personality of the school and his/her role in the development of the school.

       

      Founder of Myschool (Mrs. Samia Moosa Al Balushi as the Principal). Mrs. Al Balushi has a Higher Diploma in Kindergarten Study from the College of Education, Amman University – Jordan. She has 26 years of teaching experience in the kindergarten at both Al Sahwa Private School & Myschool. As she joined Alsahwa Schools in 1994, she is considered one of those who established the KG school among other KG teachers.

       

      She has attended over 60 educational workshops and seminars (Locally , Regionally & Internationally). With her lateral thinking and introduction of new concepts in teaching, she is shaping a vision of academic success for all students with whom she interacts. She has succeeded in creating an environment congenial to learning. She believes in cultivating leadership qualities in students. Improving instruction methodology is her constant endeavor.

       

      Apart from the above, she has regular updates on the current education system prevailing across the globe. She is also well-versed in Ministry rules and regulations and the pattern of education prevailing in the Sultanate of Oman. She has been instrumental in formulating the best system needed in education, which is the hallmark that increased the number of students in the school within such a short span of time.

       

       

      3. Kindly describe about the various courses offered by the school and their salient features.

       

      We adopt the PYP approach in teaching KG-G5 and MYP to G5-G10 students. We offer General Diploma to students in grades 11 and 12. We take on the inquiry-based and concept-based approaches to teaching and learning to meet the IB requirements and foster our learners’ needs to prepare them for a successful future.

       

      The students are encouraged to work collaboratively, discuss, ask questions, set goals and reflect on their learning. The key and related concepts let learning move from a 2D to a 3D shape to scaffold a deeper understanding of the topic. Through these approaches, the learning journey becomes a transferable, timeless and universal journey.

       

       

      At MySchool, students also learn in a multilingual environment that offers English as the language of instruction and Arabic as their mother tongue to maintain their cultural identity in addition to French as a third language and the Mandarin as a fourth. We think that when students learn an additional language, other than their mother tongue, they will develop a broader understanding of other cultures as well as accept the others with all their differences.

       

      Our ICT teachers integrated the STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) into their curriculum. We believe that doing so would foster students critical thinking skills and creativity. Examples of such projects are programming(Scratch), sphero and EV 3.

       

      4. Please mention what steps are you taking beyond the traditional curriculum to ensure overall development of the students?

       

      International-mindedness: We believe that having a multilingual environment and learning about and through different languages foster open-mindedness, mutual respect and empathy. Indeed, we focus on the global concepts that allow students to think deeply. As a result, students are encouraged to think independently and critically to take the responsibility of their own learning and to raise a sense of awareness towards the human condition through their personal experiences and those of the others in their national and international communities.

       

       

      Community Services: We maintain that learning is better when it is related to real life. Hence, MySchool is always encouraging students, parents and staff to take part in different events and projects. In this regard, I can mention a few experiences:

       

      ·         MySchool Marathon whereby all returns are granted to social associations(child cancer, Dar Al Attaa, Arahma Association)

      ·         Participation in Autism day

      ·         Maa’joureen Project

      ·         The ambassadors of values: a project that aims to spread values among the community members.

      ·         Having guest speakers at school, such as book writers, poets, athletes, doctors, firefighters, NGO members, flight attendants,…

      ·         Contributions to exhibitions and celebrations in schools, universities and colleges(SQU, Caledonian, Al Mashareq school,Omam girls school,…)

       

      Moreover; as an IB world school, we adhere to IB learner profile traits. We all strive to be  Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, balanced, risk-takers and reflective. We also believe that the uniqueness of the IB learner profile contributes in developing students as citizens who respect all the people with their different nationalities, customs and beliefs in a global peaceful world.

       

      5. What steps does the school take to motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education?

       

      We are following an inquiry-based approach which triggers students’ background knowledge, and integrates their interests and wonderings. Our facilitators allow the students to think and express themselves in an authentic and creative way, use a range of strategies to meet students’ learning needs and styles, engage them in reflecting on how, what and why they are learning. In this way no students feel left behind. Moreover, when students have the choice and voice over their learning they feel they are the owners of this journey and will contribute more. Through inquiry and concept-based learning, students develop to become critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Students are able to own their learning, inquire, investigate, take decisions, transfer and apply what they are learning in school to real life situations.

       

      Students are engaging in project-based learning practices in which they are working towards a purpose and they are constantly  co-constructing learning experiences and success criteria with their teachers.

       

      6. What are the career opportunities available to the students after completion of their courses?

       

      MySchool students will be IB graduates, able to compete at both local and international level. They will not get foundation courses in higher education. From the basic grades, we provide them with skills and knowledge that would prepare them for their future life.

       

      7. Other than traditional occupations, what other career field options are available for them?

       

      Multilingualism, great communication, self-management, social, research and thinking skills, open-mindedness and technology skills will certainly open up new gates to their career life. Our students mostly have outstanding leading skills. The implementation of the IB programs helped us to develop the concept of leadership and the creation of young leaders who are able to easily deal with the global issues and changes in a positive and contributing way. They learn to express themselves in different ways(language, arts, music, etc) which will help them in choosing their future profession and being innovative.

       

      We are always integrating technology into our teaching and learning practices. Our students are developing great digital literacy. Accordingly, MySchool provides a well-equipped apple ICT Lab, smartboards and desktops in all classrooms. Our learners have their personal iPads( Grades 3-7) and MacBook Pro(Grades 8-12).  Early year and lower primary students use in-class iPads. 

       

      8. Please enlighten us about the school’s major awards/achievements, its accomplished/renowned alumni, remarkable collaborations, and major accreditations.

       

      ·         PYP accreditation, May 2018

      ·         Top 10 schools in global word-mania contest, November 2019

      ·         Oxford University Press user

      ·         Apple certified teachers

      ·         Maajoureen project

      ·         Recognized engineering village partner

      ·         Participation in the 25th Muscat international book fair

       

      9. Kindly elaborate about the future plans of the school in the same.

       

      We are planning to enroll our Diploma teachers for IB DP workshops by the next academic year and then, we will be a DP authorized school as well.

       

      MySchool’s long term objective is to become an Apple Distinguished School. As a matter of fact, we have started training our teachers by Apple Distinguished workshop leaders . Currently, all our teachers are apple certified teachers.

       

      As we are striving to be courageous, risk-takers and persistent, we are dreaming big here. We dream for a modern and big school that meets our students and teachers’ ambitions. We care for our students and we deeply believe they deserve the best education. We also dream of opening our doors from early morning to evening providing services, curricular and extracurricular activities to everyone with teachers and supervisors working on shifts.

       

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Beaconhouse School

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Beaconhouse: Excellence Through Quality Education

  1. 1. Please mention about the school and its mission/vision and various infrastructural facilities.

    Beaconhouse aims to provide quality education of an international standard. We aim for excellence through quality management, quality training and quality teaching. By doing so we hope to benefit our students, their communities and the wider world. Beaconhouse has been operating in Oman since January 2007. Starting off with our first campus in Qurum. As we expanded over the years we soon filled the capacity of our Qurum campus,  we then took the opportunity to open a brand new branch in Al Khuwair just this year. Our brand new campus in Al Khuwair will host Grades 1 – 11 (A level), while our Qurum campus will now host Kindergarten to Grade 4. This year also marks the first time we will be proving our students an A level program.

     

    The Al Khuwair Campus will offer opportunities to enable holistic education to our students with facilities such as:

     

    ·         Upgraded Technology in Classrooms

    ·         Contemporary Library

    ·         State of the art Multi-Purpose Hall

    ·         New and Improved Laboratories

    ·         Swimming pool

    ·         Tennis courts

    ·         Basketball courts

    ·         Football ground

    ·         Indoor badminton courts

    ·         Jogging track

  2. 2. Kindly mention about the prominent personality of the school and his/her role in the development of the school.

     

    Our Principal, Zeba Masood has been at the forefront of Beaconhouse since the very beginning. With a career spanning over 20 years inside the Beaconhouse School System, she exudes confidence, leadership and most importantly, empathy. Principal Zeba understands the family orientated culture that both Omanis and expats value highly. She addresses it whenever she speaks to our students, parents and staff, going out of the way to make sure the needs of everyone is met in a respectable fashion.  

     

    It is not a far cry to say that she is the key embodiment of  Beaconhouse Oman and without her the development of the school would not be as plentiful. She was integral in getting the Al Khuwair branch approved and allowing Beaconhouse to give our students grander opportunities and a more robust experience.

    3. Kindly describe about the various courses offered by the school and their salient features.

    Beaconhouse is an accredited CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) bilingual school that provides IGCSE’s and A levels.

     

    The Cambridge IGCSE is designed to be suitable for students with different levels of ability. It is the formal recognition of a learner’s achievement at the end of a particular subject course covered during grade 9 and 10.

     

    Subjects offered in IGCSE

     

    Our brand new A level program has just started this academic year (2020-2021). Cambridge International A Levels is one of the most recognized qualifications around the world and is accepted as proof of academic competence for entry to universities worldwide.

     

    4. Please mention what steps are you taking beyond the traditional curriculum to ensure overall development of the students?

     

    As a school we are well aware that the traditional curriculum can only get students so far. Their hobbies and activities they do after lessons are just as important as the lessons themselves. To ensure they are exploring opportunities and interests out of the traditional curriculum we provide a wide range of after school activities that caters to all students. Just recently we’ve teamed up with Alpha Football Academy, one of the largest football organizations in Oman that provides football training for the youth. They’re partnered with Atletico De Madrid of Spain and Venezia FC of Italy and provide scholarship programmes for talented boys/girls to visit Europe.

     

    5. What steps does the school take to motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education?

     

    The school takes the approach of making education more interesting for students to digest. We do this in various types of methods. The School arranges periodic orientation programmes for our students. CQLP – Continuous Quality Learning, is one such programme where we invite expert speakers as guest lecturers for talks, seminars, and discussions on various subjects.

    Another topic the school tackles is emotional and social support which in turn helps with their academic interests. The school social workers serves as a link between students, parents, school staff and the school district and  supports teachers by providing targeted emotional and social support to individual students to enhance their emotional well-being and improve their academic performance.

     

    A special Mentorship Programme is offered for our Grade 10 students for:

     

    ·         Recognizing student strength & weaknesses.

    ·         Assessing and evaluating the depth of learning in all subject areas to improvise on weaknesses and build up on students’ strength.

    ·         Planning of Individualized Study Plans.

    ·         Providing Remedial lessons.

    ·         Regular monitoring of grades.

    ·         Complete analysis of Informed/ Uninformed task, to target learners’ weak areas.

    ·         Ongoing review of the study plans based on changing requirements.

    ·         Continuous improvement.

     

    We believe this mentorship programme also helps gear our Grade 10 students with the right skills as well as spark interest in their own developments and growth.

     

    6. How are you providing financial assistance to the students in need?

     

    During these unprecedented times, we’ve offered a multitude of discounts and offers to our parents and students. We’ve frozen any increase of fees for our existing student body, had various fee offers for students in all grades and made sure to listen to each and every parent’s queries. Our annual tuition fees for the new Al Khuwair campus were discounted up to 55% from March until September. We still have offers running for Kindergarten students as well as for students in Grade 8 and our A level program. Of course there are students in different grades that require financial assistance during these times and we deal with these cases on an individual level.

     

    7. What are the career opportunities available to the students after completion of their courses?

     

    Career counselors at Beaconhouse will be helping students in developing skills, explore a career, or choose an educational program that will lead to a career.

     

    With career counseling, students would be able to know

     

    •           Their aptitude and interests

    •           Strengths and weaknesses of a particular interest

    •           Making choice of stream for education after class 10

    •           Career options available in market as per their academic choice

    •           Career options available as per their interest

    •           Some alternative career options if they decide to change their stream in future

     

    This is provided alongside career fairs, parent workshop presentations and group counselling.

     

    8. Please enlighten us about the school’s major awards/achievements, its accomplished/renowned alumni, remarkable collaborations, and major accreditations.

    Throughout the years Beaconhouse has been blessed with achievements, accomplishments and accreditations with the help of our hardworking staff, students and teachers. The school has received the “Outstanding Cambridge Learners Award” for more than 4 consecutive years. Our most recent accomplishment came to us as the results of our IGCSE students. Our top students amassed a total of 50 A*. Our results were featured on the digital evening print of Times of Oman, and has helped boost our reputation in terms of quality teaching. We are extremely proud of our students and the teachers that have helped them get to where they needed to be.

    9. Kindly elaborate about the future plans of the school in the same.

     

    With the launch of the new Al Khuwair campus, Beaconhouse looks to grow its already impressive student body and welcome students, parents and teachers of all backgrounds and cultures. We hope to really solidify our place as one of the best international schools in Oman. With our new facilities, increased capacity and A level programme we expect to do just that. Although we are currently based in Muscat we hope to expand across Oman and deliver quality management, quality training and quality teaching across all the governates

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Lighthouse International School

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Lighthouse International School : Transforming Lives Through Character Education

1. Please mention about the school and its mission/vision and various infrastructural facilities.

Lighthouse International School was formed with the vision of transforming lives through character education. We are a private school that offers excellence in academics combined with a vibrant, Christ-centered environment. Lighthouse welcomes families looking for a private Christian school that develops the whole child.

Vision

Leading out a new generation of children in their life path “For sound advice is a beacon, good teaching is a light, moral discipline is a life path.”

Mission

Lighthouse International School is an independent, college preparatory school that exists to develop the whole child through a vibrant, Christ-centered environment and a comprehensive academic program, so that they may grow to give back to the world with intelligence, confidence, integrity, and kindness.

On our campus, we have a basketball court, a volleyball court, a synthetic soccer field, and some playground areas for the youngest students. We also have a computer lab and a science lab.

2. Kindly mention about the prominent personality of the school and his/her role in the development of the school.

Mr. Zelaya has been our General Director since 2015. He believes strongly that the glue that holds all other factors of effective education in place is building positive interpersonal relationships. That’s why you will often see him greeting students as they come to school in the morning, or chatting with them during their lunch breaks, and even playing sports alongside them.

Under his tenure, Lighthouse graduated its first senior class, celebrated its 10th anniversary, and completed its first IB Diploma cohort. But the greatest achievement is keeping a sense of community as the school grows and matures. School-wide assemblies and devotionals, celebrations and multi-level teambuilding events keep us all connected. We are purposeful about it.

Navigating the new challenges of virtual learning has shown us that the level of commitment of our staff is extraordinary, and keeping our focus on the essence of who we are has made us look ahead with hope.

3. Kindly describe about the various courses offered by the school and their salient features.

In order to provide a well-rounded education, our academic program includes Physical Education, Visual Arts, Music, Library, Information Technology, Social-Emotional Learning, and the core subject like Math, English, Global Studies, Integrated Science, and STEM.

All of our students, from the youngest to the oldest, are developed into socially responsible citizens through our Service Learning Program. Our students participate in ongoing projects that support at-risk populations in the community, logging hundreds of man-hours each year.

4. Please mention what steps are you taking beyond the traditional curriculum to ensure overall development of the students?

The Lighthouse academic program focuses on the development of each student’s spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and social growth. Our goal is to help each child develop independence, responsibility, and problem-solving skills.

The educational program at Lighthouse International School was created to assist parents in the development of character and values in their children, coupled with a solid foundation of academic excellence to guide children toward productive and influential citizenship. Our purpose is to guide students through childhood and adolescence who graduate prepared to face the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges of that day.

By educating the whole child our students will influence the future of Costa Rica and beyond as leaders in the different venues they choose to pursue. With courses taught by experienced, Christ-centered individuals, Lighthouse students will graduate educated with a strong academic foundation and a clear moral compass.

The most recent closure of schools by the local government, prompted by the worldwide pandemic, has presented an opportunity for us to provide uninterrupted learning through various digital platforms. Our Distance Learning Program was developed as an extension of our standards-aligned curriculum in which the contents and pedagogy have been adapted to the learning environment. Our research-based practices support student learning, strengthen digital citizenship and proper use of technological tools, promote student ownership of the learning process, and ensure emotional and spiritual support.

5. What steps does the school take to motivate and develop the students’ interest towards education?

The academic program is college preparatory. Students are offered many opportunities to develop their leadership, service, athletic, and technological skills. Additionally, a wide variety of extracurricular activities offer students choices to explore other interests.

Our students are developed into life-long learners, and to develop ownership of their learning. This happens through collaborative work and alternative ways of demonstrating their learning through special projects and community outreach.

6. How are you providing financial assistance to the students in need?

The school has a scholarship program to provide financial assistance to students in need. Approximately 20% of our students benefit from this program, in addition to a significant number of students who have received some form of financial aid during the pandemic.

7. What are the career opportunities available to the students after completion of their courses?

Our comprehensive program is structured to offer our 12th grade graduates a U.S. High School diploma, the Costa Rican diploma, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. We have graduated six generations of students, and they have opted for a wide variety of career paths, including education, business, science, medical sciences, and others. Lighthouse graduates are fully equipped to attend universities anywhere in the world.

8. Other than traditional occupations, what other career field options are available for them?

Our students who do not opt for a traditional post-secondary education, are well prepared for any career path they choose. As problem solvers, critical thinkers, and skilled communicators, they have a world of opportunities available to them. Our alumni have chosen a wide variety of careers in many fields, such as medicine, engineering, technology, arts, tourism, service, education, and many others.

9. Please enlighten us about the school’s major awards/achievements, its accomplished/renowned alumni, remarkable collaborations, and major accreditations.

Lighthouse International School is approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization, accredited with the Ministry of Education of Costa Rica, and a member of the Asociación de Centros Educativos Privados.

10. Kindly elaborate about the future plans of the school in the same.

Future plans include the addition of a gymnasium building, new classrooms, and the opening of an early childhood center. Additionally, the curriculum will be enhanced by participation in international academic and sports competitions.

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Academia Tica Spanish School

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Academia Tica Spanish School - Bringing Students Closer to Culture and Language

Education is a powerful tool which provides people with knowledge, skill, technique, and information that enables them to know their rights and duties toward their family, society as well as the nation.  It is an essential knowledge which expands our vision and outlook to see the world and develops capabilities to fight against the bad elements in society.

We are an Instituto Cervantes accredited Spanish language school with two beautiful campuses in distinctive, interesting locations in Costa Rica. Founded in 1986 is one of the first schools in Central America.  Our aim is to make the Spanish language a bridge between people from all over the world, Costa Rica and Latin America. Learning has to be a fun process and it has to be truly authentic to be effective.

Our aim is to bring students closer to the culture and living experience of ticos through language learning and cover the full range of language travel needs.

The two school campuses work as true oasis for studying with big ample gardens and classrooms with plenty of natural light, close to the attractions, amenities and necessities our locations offer.

The Visionary

Manuel Al-Ghassani is the Director of Academia Tica and is in charge of the main strategy and vision for the school as well as most marketing. But the relationship with the school is very personal. Manuel is the son of Ana Mercedes Rodríguez, school founder. She started as a Spanish teacher and translator in a small office in their home and is now on an advisory role. Years later, this continues as a 100% local and family business with a second generation equally passionate about the meeting of education, culture and tourism that is represented in language schools.

Courses Offered 

Our offer includes the staple intensive course with 20-30 language lessons per week in group or individual class setting. Regardless, service and tuition is highly personalized and groups do not exceed more than 6 students.

The school also teaches special courses which include DELE Exam Preparation (from which the school is also Exam Center), Surf & Spanish in our Jacó Beach campus, one of the best destinations worldwide for starting or advancing surf. Also offered is a unique Traveling Classroom program which visits several locations around Costa Rica and includes many activities and a full intensive language course.

Finally, Academia Tica offers a range of Specific Purposes courses aimed at going far deeper into the topics of Medicine, Law, Business and a special course designed for teachers of Spanish. These courses not only allow students to improve their language skills needed to work in these areas, but also focus on important cultural topics with different activities including visits and keynote presentations.

Ideal Address for Education 

There are two main reasons why students choose Academia Tica. The first is the belief that language learning has to be fun, friendly and exciting in order to work. Students must be engaged in different creative ways and this is where our teacher’s experience comes into play.

A second very important reason is our activity program which takes students to the places not found in guidebooks. We believe is part of our mission to show the real Costa Rica and not only participate in a marketing presentation of the country. The school will organize the staple student favorites from language schools like cooking and dance class but also excursions, visits, meetings and other meaningful experiences we’ve come up with from our own experience and contacts.

Academia Tica understands that a language course is an experience and not only a transfer of knowledge. Students are exposed to real-life situations. Our courses rely heavily on the practical side of language learning and Costa Rican and Latin American culture is embedded in the daily structure of courses.

The school ensures quality by carefully curating a teaching staff of native, professional teachers that have already taught for several years. One of the main activities of our Academic Director is to execute a yearly plan of teacher training.

Achievements, Rankings, Awards & Accolades 

Founded in 1986 the school is the longest-standing private language school in Costa Rica.

Academia Tica is an Instituto Cervantes Accredited Center since 2002 (the first in Costa Rica). This is the most important quality certification a language school can obtain and is given to private institutes like us to major university language schools as well. The certification is given by Instituto Cervantes and involves periodic evaluations of all areas of service.

The school is also a DELE Exam Center since 2013. Other recognitions (relevant for language schools) that the school has are Bildungsurlaub approval from Germany and the Swedish CSN grant approval.

Currently, the school collaborates periodically with two important conservation projects in our locations: Locos por el Bosque Cloudforest Reserve and Toucan Rescue Center. Apart from this, we work with a network of volunteering projects to whom we provide students that will lend a helping hand.

The school has collaborated with many universities, colleges and other educational institutions in North America and Europe notably the Johns Hopkins University Spanish Program in Costa Rica and Ocean College, a sailing education year for German Students.

Thanks to a wide network of partner agencies across the globe, Academia Tica is visited by students from many parts of the world. These agents include world-leader ESL from Switzerland.

Finally, the school is also part of “Spanish in Costa Rica”, a new initiative with other language schools in Costa Rica that seeks to promote the country as a destination to study the language as well as ensuring the quality of their member schools.

An Environment Empowering Holistic Growth 

Language studies are of course paths into traveling and culture. But obtaining a certain degree of language competence will allow students to further their studies in a different country in Latin America or Spain where many of our students will go on and start their careers in fields from Ecology to Technology.

Students of Spanish language will find that their skills become useful in a wide variety of careers, mainly in services of areas like the medical sciences or international business, diplomatic career, teaching and language related areas such as writing and translation. However, a second language is a door that opens opportunities in most areas.

Amidst the Covid crisis which has hardly hit the education sector in Costa Rica, Academia Tica is working towards new partnerships with agents and also educational institutions from across the world that are interested in expanding their students’ experience with a study abroad program.

With a future outlook that is now full of uncertainty, it is the personal and human side  which takes importance. We pride of caring for our relationships with our current partners, former students and even our contacts from Instituto Cervantes.

The school has not stopped working during the pandemic but currently the program has shifted to mostly online and receiving new students towards the latter part of the year as restrictions are lifted. Although income has reduced drastically, Academia Tica is one of the few businesses related to tourism in Costa Rica that has not furloughed or fired their staff, using this as an opportunity to make improvements.

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Canadian International Academy

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Canadian International Academy - Guiding Students towards Self-Exploration

Can we ever stop learning? Even speculating, we might say everybody’s response will be a resounding NO! The world is always changing with new technology, fast-growing sectors and employment opportunities. To survive and thrive in this global age, lifelong learning is necessary. Children and youths of today must be equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow when they graduate from schools, colleges, or universities. By cultivating the habits of lifelong learning at a young age, students can enhance their personal effectiveness and capacity to adapt nimbly to changes. This prepares them to be future leaders, poised to stay competitive and relevant in the evolving world.

Overview of CIAC

CIAC is an international subsidiary of Canadian Operation by an elementary school teacher who earned an award of achievement for Excellence in Early Childhood Education from Prime Minster of Canada, Justin Trudeau, in 2015.

CIAC attention is focused on providing an educational experience that would be a positive influence on students’ lives and helping them build a solid framework to be used in all aspects of their lives. CIAC is a provider of premier education service to the families in the community and is proud to be a part of today’s educational system.

Mission of CIAC

CIAC is an outstanding school providing exceptional educational service to the society. We are a team of professionals devoted to the following mission statement:

“To provide students with high quality educational environment, while respecting the child/parent socio-cultural perspective, to enable students to develop intellectual, physical, social, and academic framework for success socially, within a family relationship, and a future career path.”

To fulfill this mission, CIAC offers:

• A positive environment where the exceptional needs of each student are recognized and cared for;

• Individual classrooms for each age group with security, safety and cleanliness in mind;

• Innovative Canadian curriculum for each age-specific classroom developed and implemented by a professional team; and

• Carefully designed and selected educational technology and equipment to enhance students’ learning.

The Knowledgeable Leader

The person leading CIAC from the front is none other than Ms. Nicky. She is the School Principal earned an award of achievement for Excellence in Early Childhood Education from Prime Minster of Canada.

Ms. Nicky shows that children are her number one priority not only by the activities she leads and the love she provides but also the care she takes of the facility to ensure children have a clean and safe environment in which to learn and play.

Philosophy of care-

Recognizing that each child is different, Ms. Nicky helps children develop at their own pace while addressing any developmental needs they may have. She provides love and affection, alongside discipline, with clear explanations of what is right and wrong.

Support of child development-

· Prepares children to move on to school with a comprehensive curriculum involving science, math, reading, geography and art; enhances her lessons using a SMARTboard.

· Introduces children to a variety of languages, including French, Mandarin and Spanish, as well as movement and dance, as part of the centre’s fine arts focus.

· Builds learning about various cultures into the curriculum, transforming holidays such as Chinese New Year into Chinese Friendship Week to not only celebrate but also learn about Chinese culture.

Involvement with parents, families and the community-

· Emphasizes that parents must be actively involved in their children’s learning and growth: parent participation in many activities is mandatory.

· Capitalizes on the celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day by having parents come to the centre on those occasions to participate in one-on-one and group activities with their children.

· Organizes a food drive each Thanksgiving: families are encouraged to bring in non-perishable goods for donation to a local food bank.

A Wide Variety of Programs Offered

Early Learning as a Leverage for Future Success

· CIAC provides a practical program, based on the Canadian Early Learning for Every Child Today (ELECT) framework, which seeks to maximize child’s future well-being.

Elementary School for the Twenty-first Century

· CIAC elementary school supports high-quality learning while providing every child the opportunity to learn in the way that is best appropriate for each child’s individual strengths and needs.

Literacy and Language

· Literacy is not only about reading or writing but also about how we communicate in society. It is also about social practices and relationships, knowledge, language and culture. Literacy development lies at the heart of the CIAC language curriculum that is devoted to teaching knowledge and skills in listening and speaking, reading, writing, and viewing and representing.

Native Language

· The ultimate goal of the Native language program is to inspire students with pride in their ancestral language and to motivate them to use it to communicate as a living language that is part of their culture.

Second Language

· The second language program at CIAC has been designed to provide a curriculum that helps students to not only strengthen their ability to communicate in different language, but also develop their capacity to understand and respect other cultures. In this way it prepares students to participate more effectively in the workplace and in the global economy, and provides them with a distinct advantage in a number of careers, both in Cambodia and internationally.

Mathematics

· CIAC’s mathematics curriculum is designed to create flexibility to respond to the diversity that exists among students. It is based on the belief that all students can learn mathematics and deserve the opportunity to do so. It supports equity by promoting the active participation of all students while recognizing that each student learns mathematics differently and sets expectations that meet each student’s learning style.

Science and Technology

· Through a comprehensive curriculum, the primary goal of CIAC’s science and technology program is to help students to understand the relationship between the nature and human-designed worlds. The CIAC science and technology program helps students to develop the skills and knowledge they need to connect to nature responsibly, and is based on the following three goals:

1. To relate science and technology to society and the environment;

2. To develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry and technological problem solving; and

3. To understand the basic concepts of science and technology

Social Studies, History and Geography

· The social studies curriculum at CIAC helps students to have an understanding of identity: who they are, where they came from, where they belong, and how they contribute to the society in which they live.

· The history curriculum at CIAC helps students to have an understanding of time: who are we, who came before us, and why we care.

· The geography curriculum at CIAC helps students to have an understanding of place: what is where, why there, and why we care.

Fine Arts

· CIAC’s arts program recognizes that education in arts is essential to students’ intellectual, social, physical, and emotional development and well-being. Children will have opportunities to think and feel as they explore, problem solve, express, interpret, and assess the process and the results.

Health and Physical Education

· The health and physical education curriculum at CIAC is designed to provide a balance approach. This curriculum not only provides opportunity to students to develop an understanding of what they need in order to make a commitment to lifelong healthy and active living but also develop their social skills and emotional well-being.

Focus on Students’ Development

At CIAC, we integrate the traditional education with real life experiences through healthy living, active learning, and career building. Students have the opportunity to apply their learning to the real life and real world. We support young children to make positive choices that enhance their personal, physical, mental and spiritual health. We encourage students to actively participate in process of learning while supporting them to become independent learners. We help young children to reach their full potentials and develop fundamental skills to become successful in their future career paths.

We encourage students to actively participate in process of learning while supporting them to become independent learners.