by Lural Ramirez | May 6, 2020
As schools around the world transitioned to distance learning models in response to the novel Coronavirus pandemic, there have been milestones and moments that have been key, and as reported by the World Economic Forum on April 22, 2020, we have seen unprecedented global cooperation in response to the suffering and social-distancing efforts.
As the virus made its way to Latin America, Futuro Verde was weeks, and in some aspects years, ahead in our preparation for this required shift to online learning. The timeline below details our school’s response to this crisis and our preparedness efforts.
2014, over a period of months
Futuro Verde webmaster Khalida Lockheed spearheaded our application to Google to become a “Google For Education” school. Our application was accepted, giving us free, unlimited access to domain-specific @futuro-verde.org emails, Google For Education Apps like Gmail, Classroom, and the like. This step allowed all Futuro Verde board members, staff and students to have Futuro Verde emails and a controlled and safe shared domain for our IT needs.
How did this help us during the pandemic? All staff and students were already united under a common domain, which facilitated both more complex and collaborative online processes as well as an assurance that email server filters follow our students’ safeguarding protocols and policies.
2015, over a period of months
Futuro Verde webmaster Khalida Lockheed, in her dual role as webmaster and design manager, shifted our www.futuro-verde.org website to a content management system (WordPress), allowing for greater flexibility and collaboration.
How did this help us during the pandemic? Having the ability to quickly and easily link students and families to all of our online learning tools and resources aided in a smooth transition into a full online learning mode.
2016 school year
Secondary teachers began implementing the Google for Education Classroom app with more consistency starting in 2016. Students in upper secondary grades had become accustomed to having a parallel online platform which was initially used to document assignments and projects and to digitally receive student work for projects assigned.
This year as well, some preschool and primary teachers began to experiment with the Seesaw Platform, used then as a supplemental family communication tool.
How did this help us during the pandemic? As we shifted to online learning, Classroom and Seesaw became our main platforms for student online, at-home engagement and work. Our previous experience with both platforms made this new leap to larger use volume much more manageable and smooth.
2017-2019 school years
As Futuro Verde grew, we were able to acquire much needed, full-time support in IT and we began to purchase and systematically use several key databases, tools and programs that support student learning. Specifically, we acquired: Turnitin, a similarity detection tool to help students learn how not to plagiarize their work; EBSCO a database of reliable sources for information across a myriad of subjects and grade levels; Reading A to Z, a platform that provides independent level reading support for our pre-k and primary students; and IXL, a license we purchased for school-wide use to reinforce our students’ math abilities through an online platform personalized to their current needs and abilities and updated continually to meet their needs.
Additionally, from an administrative perspective, we purchased a school Zooom pro account in order to facilitate the confirmation of strategic university, governmental and private partnerships to benefit our students. And, perhaps most importantly, in 2019 we became a PTC member school.
How did this help us during the pandemic? Futuro Verde’s databases, tools and programs have been pillars in our instructional focus during online learning, shifting from the supplemental structures they once were to more integral and central tools for learning during our online program. Zoom Pro has allowed us to continue to effectively coordinate as staff and to maintain that high level of care and personalized attention our teachers and school are known for.
Via the listservs established by the PTC as a part of our membership status, PTC membership has meant that we have been kept at the forefront of the response by reputable international schools around the world. Furthermore, as I mentioned at the start of this article and as the World Economic Forum has confirmed, the unprecedented global cooperation between international and government schools has been invaluable to us at Futuro Verde. Our leadership team and governing body began receiving advice and updates from partner schools in China, then the rest of Asia, then the Middle East, Europe, Africa and now Latin and North America as the virus spread across the globe. The virus came to our continent last and we have benefited greatly from the lessons learned by our partner schools and we have modified resources eagerly shared with us by other schools who are weeks ahead of us in their response in order to best meet the needs of our unique student population. And please know that we have extended that same level of support in return, sharing our own best practice with other schools in the hopes that it might help them better weather this storm we are all in together.
This doesn’t mean we were perfectly prepared for everything though…
In the one day we took for teacher training on March 17th before immediately moving to online learning with students, we hurriedly got up to speed on Google Hangouts, for daily student check-in and accessibility for office hours with teachers throughout the day. We had always had access to this App as a part of our “Google For Education” status, but our first real use of the app coincided with the crisis. Luckily our amazing teachers are dedicated learners themselves and so they dove into this new challenge, and the others that have come, as we continue to innovate our approach and program as the weeks go by.
I sincerely hope this look back in time related to preparedness has helped further contextualize the value of investing in a high quality education for your child. Effective, coordinated efforts require time, in this case years, and they also require vision, commitment and determination. As Head of School, I am deeply appreciative for our fantastic staff who have contributed to our readiness for online learning, to our international school partners for their generosity and time, and, most importantly to our students and their families for their commitment to progressive, high-quality and future minded education on the Nicoya peninsula!
For more information on our specific programming, please visit our website which houses specific information and resources related to our online and distance learning program. And, stay tuned for new response to the crisis yet to come! The latest updates from our partner schools outside of Latin and North America is that most countries and schools are beginning to transition back to on-campus learning, with modifications and precautions new to all. So, if the pattern of this global crisis stays true, a whole new challenge awaits our community soon when Latin and North America also begin to transition back! If you know us well, you know we have been preparing for that for weeks now already…
by Lural Ramirez | Mar 31, 2020
Futuro Verde has been pleased with the roll-out of our online learning program in response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Our teachers have taken on the new challenge with enthusiasm and love- eager to continue to support students and provide stability and consistency in a time of such global uncertainty. But it is our families and our students who have left us absolutely blown away by their adaptability, support and commitment to their children’s learning! Together we truly are stronger and we will get through this difficult time and back to regular school operations as soon as is possible!
FAQs regarding Futuro Verde Online Learning:
My child is new to English or Spanish (or both) or has a learning support need. How is Futuro Verde addressing those needs in online programming?
All Futuro Verde teachers are with us and online- including our language support specialist and our special education teacher. Both specialists have created innovative and helpful structures to support student in their classes, to provide individual support and to continue to help teachers as they work to differentiate learning online and make it accessible to students of all abilities.If your child needs further support please contact our specialists directly:
Anika Hodel, Language Specialist: anika@futuro-verde.org
Alannah Anglin, Special Education Teacher: alannah@futuro-verde.org
I am worried about my child’s well-being during this difficult time. Does the school still offer psychological support and counseling during online programming?
Absolutely! Times like these are moments when we all need emotional support and our school psychologist, Massiel Arroyo, is here to help our students, families and staff!
Supports include:
- Mindfulness classes with intentional emotional supports for ALL students
- A Futuro Verde Facebook group especially for families needing emotional support. Parenting, supporting learning at home and managing stress related to the impact of this pandemic on us as individuals, as a family and in our work or businesses is so very important at this time and Massiel is here to support parents too!
- Personal contact coordinated by Massiel and done with the support of our administrative and leadership team to check-in on families regularly and make sure our community stays well as a group and as individuals and that everyone receives the support they need.
I appreciate Futuro Verde’s efforts to implement online learning, but we miss regular school days. When will school start again?
We will get back to regular school days as soon as the public health emergency has passed and the Costa Rican government gives us the green light to go back to normal life! We can’t wait for this to happen and look forward to seeing our students very soon!
Does Futuro Verde have a plan to sustain online learning over time if the pandemic and social distancing efforts must continue beyond the original return date of April 13th?
Absolutely! Our COVID-19 protocol includes scaffolded implementation over time and teachers are prepared to deal with attendance, assessment and long-term scheduling of online learning, if needed. But, we are all hoping for a quick return to school as soon as safety permits us to be back together again! For more details on our policies for attendance, assessment and long-term scheduling, please review our website.
How will student grading be affected during online learning? Will my child still be able to graduate and get credit for the part of the school year they spend online?
Yes, your child will continue to receive instruction, be assessed by teachers and receive due credit for their learning and growth and development! That is the biggest benefit of keeping your child in a temporary online learning program during a global emergency like the one we are currently living. Even when the world feels turned upside down, your child will continue to progress in their studies and keep their options for the future wide open! Given the challenges of online learning, Futuro Verde has developed an online grading policy that generously takes into account the challenges online learning can present and is ensured to appropriately support our students for success!
by Lural Ramirez | Mar 26, 2020
At Futuro Verde there are six formal grade reporting periods. These grading periods are divided into three trimesters with a formal report card at the end of each trimester and a midterm report sent home 6 to 7 weeks into each trimester. All grade reports are completed collaboratively by all teachers who work with each student and they are intended to inform parents of their child’s progress academically as well as to comment on progress in skills related to social-emotional development and self-management. This year, midterm reports were emailed to parents as the date for parent receipt of midterms coincided with our transition to an online learning program model as a part of our COVID-19 protocol.
As a parent, it is best to use midterm reports in the following ways:
- Understand how your child is evolving and progressing academically. What academic areas are strengths for your child? Is your child struggling in any way academically?
- Understand the specifics related to your child’s social-emotional development. Is your child relating well to others? Are they demonstrating pro-social behaviors with peers and adults?
- Is your child organized, independent in their study habits and able to self-manage? This will often show up as a comment in regards to turning in assignments or as a general comment from teachers.
What should you do with what the midterm tells you?
- If your child is struggling academically please schedule a meeting as soon as possible with the subject teacher, CREW teacher or the academic or assistant director. Now is the time to act and to intervene to help your child get back on track!
Even though we are in an online learning program right now, you can still schedule a Zoom or Skype meeting with school staff. To do so, simply email the teacher or administrator you would like to speak with.
- If your child is having any social or emotional struggles, please request a meeting with the school psychologist, Massiel, in order to make a plan for support and intervention. Social-emotional development and care is essential to development and learning and must be prioritized if your child has needs in this area.
Again, even though we are in an online learning program right now, you can still schedule a Zoom or Skype meeting with Massiel. To do so, simply email her to set up a time to talk.
- If you are seeing that your child is not progressing along recommended developmental processes related to independence and self-management, please make sure to identify this need and address it. Our goal as parents are to support our children in becoming independent and functional citizens who are positive contributors to society. This development happens little by little over the years and delays in development should be addressed immediately in order to help children be successful at all ages and stages.
As we are in the midst of online learning as we speak, it is ever more clear that it takes a village to raise a child and the triangular support system of school, parents and student must work in close unison for optimal development and growth over time! Thank you for supporting your child while they complete their social distancing and school work from home and thank you for consistently working in conjunction with our school to help your child reach his/her fullest potential!
by Lural Ramirez | Feb 27, 2020
Every year at Futuro Verde brings with it new and exciting progress in our facilities and campus development. The 2020 school year investments have brought us three new elementary school classrooms and an addition on our current administration building along with a remodel of our current administration facilities. All of these new learning and work spaces are beautiful!
Some features of our new classroom construction include:
Our light construction approach- metal framing and half walls keep the construction light and the open spaces allow for optimal air flow, natural light, and connection to the surrounding jungle!
The decision to raise the base of our buildings above the ground is consistent with our permaculture commitments and allows for uninterrupted flow of rain water beneath the buildings during the rainy season.
Classrooms are much larger than the previous spaces and this large space allows teachers and students to have ample and flexible learning spaces, with table and floor space used for different pedagogical approaches and needs.
A set of new bathrooms are adjacent to the 4th grade classroom and their strategic location places new bathrooms right in the middle of the elementary wing of our school, conveniently located for all elementary aged students.
Features within the administrative building addition and remodel:
- A large, dedicated library space for secondary and another for primary and preschool.
- A new computer lab with space for 25 desktop computers.
- A dedicated testing and conference room, fully enclosed, air conditioned and ready to support in class assessment times as well as student national FARO and international IB exams. When not used for assessment, the conference room will be used for board meetings, community organization and cooperation efforts and teacher meetings.
- A dedicated counseling space for our school psychologist to be able to attend to the social and emotional needs of our students.
- Additional bathrooms for students to access on the south end of the campus and during recess times especially.
- Multiple offices for our amazing specials teachers, leadership team, coordinators and finance department.
As you can see, our campus continues to expand and grow to meet the needs of our diverse community. We are thrilled to have our new buildings, to have access to comfortable and inviting learning and work spaces meant to inspire a love for learning, and we are forever grateful to our families for their commitment to our school and to our donors for their willingness to give toward our expansion efforts and facilities development! Thank you!
by Lural Ramirez | Feb 5, 2020
Each year Futuro Verde holds Back to School Night, an event that is full of activities and opportunities related to your child’s education!
During Back to School Night, to be held on Wednesday, March 4th, families and teachers have time to meet, students share their classrooms and learning spaces, and they walk their parents through some of their daily experiences at Futuro Verde. Specifically, families can get to know the school curriculum, assessment, classroom procedures, grade level expectations, and learn about field trips and events available at each grade level or within each subject area. There will also be time for families to tour the school, to meet and speak with specialists and to get to know teachers who work with their son/daughter in each of the distinct subject areas.
This year, as is our Futuro Verde tradition, parents can literally come “Back to School” with us by attending any of the four parent workshops that will be offered this year prior to our main event!
Parent workshops
IB at FV
- 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm- Art and Biology classes will be open to parent observers in IB classroom
- 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm- IB Dreaming of University – High School Alternative Pathways at FV in Bio Lab
College Counseling for Middle and High School Students (especially geared toward parents of 7th-10th graders) (location TBD
- 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm- Come take the College Counseling class along with the 10th, 11th and 12th graders. This class is open to any parent interested in learning more about this new course at FV!
Effective Parenting Strategies with our School Psychologist, Massiel Arroyo (in primary library)
- 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm- For parents of children ages birth to 9
- 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm- For parents of preadolescents and adolescents ages 10-18
Technology Help! Classroom, Google for Education, Turnitin, EBSCO ( in the computer lab)
- 1:00 – 3:00- Our librarian and IT assistant is here to help you with any of your questions and technical needs with any of the technology your children use at FV!
-
-
- 1:00 – 2:00 Presentation on Turnitin and EBSCO (programs to prevent plagiarism and to support effective research)
- 2:00 – 3:00 Open access time for any and all tech needs. Any and all questions and needs are welcome!
General Whole School Meeting with the School Director, Lural Ramirez – 2020 at Futuro Verde!
Back to School Night Classroom Visits – Visit your child’s teachers and classes!
Mark your calendars now for the afternoon of March 4th and don’t miss this fun-filled afternoon at Futuro Verde!
by Lural Ramirez | Jan 22, 2020
Futuro Verde has long prided itself on our student success with graduation exams and we are proud, each year, of our students and their achievements academically. The academic results for any school are very important and we know how much our students’ success in elementary, middle and high school continue to pave the way for their university acceptance and university success. Prospective and current parents alike often consider our exam results to be a sign of the quality of teaching and learning at Futuro Verde. Like it or not, exam results continue to be an important factor in ongoing access to post-secondary opportunity and success.
For years, when we only had the MEP diploma to offer, we would anxiously await our exam results each year and we’re fortunate to proudly share the 100% success trend year after year. Now, with students working toward a new goal with our IB diploma option in conjunction with our MEP Costa Rican diploma and the option for IB certificates as well, we are reconsidering our approach to revealing the details of our students’ results. So, why the reticence to share more and make a bigger deal about student exam results moving forward? We will share with you three main points and some specific details that explain our new policy moving forward.
- Futuro Verde is a mission and vision driven school. Parents continually share with us how much they see and feel our mission and vision day in and day out as they visit and interact with our school and our students. Our mission and vision speak to the preparation of our students to be critical thinkers, to be fully bilingual and environmentally minded and to strive to promote a harmonious world on a local and global scale. Examination results, though important and often sought out as measures and determinants of success, prove wholly inadequate in measuring a child’s true ability in the foundational ways of thinking and of being that we seek to develop in our students.
- Our second main concern with over-emphasizing student exam results relates to a growing trend worldwide to be much more mindful of student well-being. An ever present pressure for perfectionism, irrationally high expectations and overly competitive environments for learning and youth development, as shown by current research, such as that summarized in the following two articles: BBC article on the rise in toxic perfectionism, article on role of parents and teachers regarding student well-being, are leading to a mental health crisis never before seen among our children and young adults. Over emphasis on the part of our school and our community on the exam results of our students leads to a deterioration of our students’ well-being.
- The third, yet primary, reason for our shift in approach to sharing student results speaks to the nuance Futuro Verde now lives of student exam success. Students at Futuro Verde can choose among any number of paths to success, with each bar of success being slightly different, yet nonetheless meaningful, than the other. As only a sample of the many opportunities for success that our diploma students can choose from are: full IB Bilingual diploma and MEP diploma, only IB Bilingual Diploma, only MEP diploma, MEP diploma with IB course certificates, etc. With such a myriad of options, quantifying our student success with only one percentage number is no longer informative in any way. Furthermore, the IB Diploma offers a range of success, from a maximum of 45 points to a minimum of 24 points. Each of our students is unique and their challenges and support systems, as well as individual circumstances during exam time, can vary dramatically. No student should be made to feel that success comes only by receiving both full diplomas at top scores. For many students, hard work and top effort will bring with it a MEP diploma only and this success should be celebrated with the same heartfelt support as that given to our school’s high achieving students, of which there are many.
With these three main points in mind, we share some important specific details to consider:
- Futuro Verde students are developed in a holistic manner, with emphasis placed on their academic development, their commitment to service and their community, their emotional and physical strength and well-being and their ability to face an uncertain future with the thinking and communication skills that will ensure long-term success and adaptability. We focus on this holistic development, not on cramming for exams in order to maximize points received.
- Futuro Verde accepts students into our diploma program with all levels of ability and disability. We are inclusive, not exclusive, because we know that the learning characterized by an IB education is beneficial to all and accessible by all!
- All of our students, prek-12 receive an IB aligned education and all our students are encouraged to attempt the full IB diploma with MEP equivalency. Most schools only allow in a select few students into their IB program in an effort to pad their results as a school. Futuro Verde is committed to IB learning for all and a differentiated path to diploma success at the end of the journey with us.
So, if you are curious about our results as a school, we can share this with you: All graduating Futuro Verde 12th graders from our first graduation years ago and all the way to this year’s students in 2019 have achieved a diploma and the qualifications necessary to be accepted at the university of their choice. Because our class sizes at Futuro Verde are small and our emphasis on student well-being is paramount, we will not share the exact diploma each of our current graduating class has achieved. But, please know and remember:
- we are exceedingly proud of each and every one of our students and their respective success stories! They are hard-working, driven, kind and passionate and we can’t wait to see what they will do and become in the years to come.
- as a school, internally each year, we put substantial effort into looking at all of our exam results, both national and international, on a macro and micro level, in order to understand patterns, see trends, and consider where we can make structural, curricular, and instructional improvements moving forward.
So, this is why we will be shifting how we share student results now and in the future. We hope that in doing so we strike the correct balance between transparency and placing value on the right things- on student well-being, first and foremost, and on a respect for the complete and holistic development of our students and their preparedness for university and for life.
