by Finanzas | Jan 8, 2021
2021 comes with major changes, including the transition in the school calendar from the national calendar to the Northern Hemisphere calendar.
What does this change mean for families?
Normally, with the calendar we have traditionally had, a family with a child in primary school would pay 11 months of tuition at a rate of 263,500 per month. For this first year of transition, however, the student will complete their school year in 10 months at a rate of 290,000 per month. What does this mean? It means that the student would not actually have any increase in tuition relative to the school year. 4th grade is 2021 equals the same tuition as 3rd grade in 2020.
For the second transition year, the school cycle will be 9 months, starting in November and ending in July. This means that in relation to the current school cycle, families will have a savings of 2 months of tuition. In relation to the calendar year, the unpaid month in 2022 would be in August. Therefore, families will continue paying 11 months in a year as they had before the transition in calendar.
As we see the savings the first year will be in time, in the second year it will be in time and money. In the end, the student will end up graduating 6 months earlier than with the traditional calendar! This also bolsters the opportunity to enter an international university. Conversely, if the student is interested in continuing studies at a national university they will have enough time upon completion of secondary school to continue preparation for life at university.
by Angie Briceño | Jan 5, 2021
On behalf of the administrative team we are pleased to announce that we have now hired the new members of the FV 2021 team. We are proud to have such a talented group of teachers and staff and are very happy that Noelia, Adriana, Francine, Daniela and Jimena are joining this group of professionals.
Get to know them a little better:
Adriana
My name is Adriana Fernández Colombari. I am Costa Rican, mother of two children and I am 37 years old. I love sports, especially running and swimming. I enjoy spending time in nature, a good walk in the mountains and a nice sunset on the beach.
Teaching is my passion. I have been a teacher for 21 years and have experience in both primary and preschool. I am fluent in two languages; English and Spanish. I love teaching and motivating children to be independent. I enjoy teaching through meaningful experiences, discovery and play. I consider myself an organized person, responsible, collaborative, a leader and with many intentions to grow and continue learning as a person, as well as professionally.
It is an honor to be a part of the Futuro Verde team!
Francine
I was born in San José, Costa Rica, but moved with my family when I was very young to Pérez Zeledón, a beautiful rural area in the south of the country. In 2018 I began my studies at the National University in Education with a focus on primary school. Before working at Futuro Verde, I completed my professional practical at a small school in Liberia, Guanacaste. I am very excited and appreciative for the opportunity to work professionally in what I loves best, teaching!
I am also very happy to be living so close to the beach and to be surrounded by so much nature.
Daniela
Daniela was born and raised in Cartago, Costa Rica and has only recently moved to Cóbano. She studied English language education bringing together her two favorite things: English and teaching. She has worked with children for the last 7 years, work she feels passionate about. She enjoys teaching and also learning new things from her students every day. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going to the beach, running, having a cup of coffee and listening to music.
I am happy and enthusiastic to be joining the Futuro Verde staff and to get to know and work with my students.
Jimena
My name is Jimena, and I am a psychologist by profession, but beyond that I consider myself a lover of life. I love new experiences, learning and teaching. I love accompanying people through different phases of life, mainly educational and social.
I have a certification in Art Therapy and was a dancer for many years. I also have certifications in teaching yoga classes for children, a certification in Mindfulness, a yoga training for adults in process, a technique in managing addictive behaviors, and 8 years of experience in social and educational fields, working with different communities.
Futuro Verde is a new adventure that I want to take on with the same energy, passion, versatility and leadership that characterizes my projects and myself.
Noelia
My name is Noelia Morales Perera. I was born in Alajuela 26 years ago, and I moved to Santa Teresa in April 2019. It was a wonderful change, since I love nature and the beach. I studied for 7 years at the Universidad Latina de Heredia, where I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with emphasis on Marketing, and I am currently specializing in Digital Marketing.
I have experience in customer service and in my area of study, since I worked three years as a teacher’s assistant in a high school, as well as a year as a Project Manager of Digital Accounts in an Advertising Agency, and a year and a half at the Front Desk in the prestigious hotel Casa Chameleon Mal Pais. I love children, they fill me with joy and happiness, as well as being surrounded by people and being able to share the importance of social media and the digital world in business.
Being part of Futuro Verde combines the things I love in a school environment of excellence and prestige!
We welcome the new members of the Futuro Verde educational community!
by Angie Briceño | Nov 30, 2020
Due to the Covid-19 crisis, many job sectors at the global and local level have suffered, some more than others. The educational sector has been no exception.
Since the beginning of this crisis in Costa Rica, schools and colleges have been called to close their doors and venture into the world of online learning to ensure continuity during this time of crisis. The educational sector, as well as others around the country, has been negatively affected since it depends on monthly tuition payments from students. We have seen a particularly severe impact since we live in a tourist area, and the tourism industry has also taken a hit, as well as the education sector.
Our families suffered economic loss, and as a community-oriented school we took on the challenge of offering responsible and professional discounts to the monthly tuition payments for those families that were seriously affected. That way, the students could continue their education during this time of constant change. It has not been an easy road, but we have tried our best as individuals and as an institution to ensure that students do not lose the educational opportunities or the holistic benefits of FV. Thanks to the constant work of the administration and teachers, as well as the support of parents, the board of directors and individual donors we have had along the way, not everything is bad news! We have been able to continue offering education, new programs to support the social-emotional development of the students, as well as encouraging physical movement and sports for the students.
The donations we received helped us to leverage our resources, materials, and facility improvements to implement the recreational center and welcome the students into a new program.
Fortunately, 2019 was a very favorable year in terms of the finances of the institution, which allowed us to weather this crisis and provided economic support for practically all of 2020 for the families that requested it.
2021 will be a different year, full of challenges and the search for financial stability. Our challenge will be to seek new income through donations and sponsorships as well as to find alternative benefits and incentives for our staff and student groups.
Summary of financial information for 2021
- The general assembly has approved a maximum 15% increase in monthly dues for the year 2021, with the commitment of the Board of Directors and administrative staff to work to decrease this increase.
- A financial committee was formed to evaluate new forms of income and improve finances.
- Early registration fee valid until December 1st
- New Family Fee (may be paid in installments during the 2021 school year)
- Monthly tuition payments can be paid in two installments (on the 5th and 17th of each month) upon request.
- If you refer a student you’ll get a 5% discount each month that the new student stays at the institution
- If you make your annuity payment in January you will get a 5% discount on that amount.
by Angie Briceño | Jul 11, 2020
Over the past few weeks, we have all gotten to know our 12th grade, and 2nd generation International Baccalaureate students, through Tuesday’s social media posts “Portraits of a Graduate”.
2020 is a very different year for the 12th graders, where what was to be a last year of memories together in class has ended up being an isolated experience in each of their homes, working towards a common goal of obtaining the International Baccalaureate degree. What we can conclude from these “portraits’ is that Futuro Verde has been not only a portal of knowledge but also a family, for this group of students. The relationships and friendships they have established at Futuro Verde will be forever carried in their hearts. Futuro Verde has been an extremely important part of their lives and they have been important to the growth and evolution of Futuro Verde. Many of them have been with us since elementary school, others joined us at the beginning of high school. We have seen them grow as students and also as people. We have watched their trajectories and we can agree that today they are citizens of the world and are ready to go out and give the best of themselves and contribute to making our world a better place. We wish them all success!
by Angie Briceño | Jul 11, 2020
We are very grateful to all the donors and friends and Futuro Verde who have helped us raise $2,806 to date. Thanks to this, we have been able to prepare for the return to school so that the students can return to a safe campus as soon as the government gives the order.
But, we still need your help! We still need to reach our goal of $55,000 to help those families who were heavily impacted by the financial crisis left by the COVID-19 pandemic and which continues to affect the entire tourism sector of Costa Rica. By facilitating the re-entry of students we will be able to continue paying the salaries of our teachers who have been doing such a great job during these challenging times.
Don’t forget to share the link of our chuffed.org campaign with your acquaintances: https://chuffed.org/project/futuro-verde-covid-19-crisis-relief-fund
Together we are stronger!
by Lural Ramirez | Jul 11, 2020
As schools across the world, and within Costa Rica, face the reality of a return to on-campus schooling in some form or another, emotions on the subject can run quite high and opinions, even among researchers and scientific experts, can vary widely.
From our perspective as a school, we continue to research the evolution of the disease as well as follow closely the recommendations from, not only the Costa Rican Health Ministry, but from other researchers and experts around the world.
Today, I would like to share some sample research and thoughts with you in the hope that it helps you have new and varied perspectives on the virus and the concept of school reopening when the virus is still present.
Health and safety
Regarding the concerns of wearing masks and the potential, related health risks of mask wearing, I recommend listening to this journalistic report from National Public Radio on the topic and their analysis of the scientific research behind prolonged risk from wearing masks.
Emotional and Psychological Impact of Quarantine
Does a pandemic cause emotional and psychological stress that is of grave concern in children? The answer is- it depends! Parental emotional regulation and the maintenance of a safe home environment are primary factors that contribute to the level of negative impact on children. The following article provides guidance and additional links related to supporting positive long-term health for your child throughout the distinct stages of the pandemic.
Considerations Regarding Short and Long-Term Response to a Virological Crisis
When there is a circumstance that so strongly impacts our lives and that is, in so many ways, out of our direct control, it is wise to consider the short and long term impacts of the crisis as well as the emotional response it is recommended by experts to take when facing such apparent uncertainty. In this article, renowned Belgian virologist, Peter Piot, reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Commitment as a School
One of the most commonly heard reflections from this time of crisis schooling is a re-commitment by families, and by society as a whole, to the importance of the incredibly challenging and essential work that is done each day by our professional educators and by our schools. We are fortunate in Futuro Verde to have an incredible group of highly-qualified and professional educators who have taken on the challenge of distance and online learning with the same enthusiasm and problem-solving nature that you have come to expect from a FV teacher! The ingredient currently missing from our learning program is, thankfully, not a lack of progression in learning, as is the case in too many schools around the country and the world, but instead a joint presence on campus during learning processes. Being together, though physically separate, is important for children’s mental health, academic progress and intellectual and social-emotional development.
For this reason, as soon as the health conditions permit, we plan to open our campus to students. The Futuro Verde campus reopening will be gradual and measured and will include the following of all health measures required or recommended by the Costa Rican Health Ministry.
We commit to the ongoing education of our students:
Online and through a distance format when that is required, through a blended learning model when on campus learning is allowed, and in a full on campus mode when the pandemic conditions permit.
