by Lural Ramirez | Dec 28, 2017
As an international school, teacher retention is a tricky subject. Part of what makes learning at an international school so rich is the diversity of staff: different experiences, different teacher training, different perspectives and the unique approaches our diverse educators bring to the classroom. At Futuro Verde, we seek to hire and retain diverse and highly qualified staff each year. For the 2018 school year, we boast staff members from 11 different countries from across North, Central and South America and Europe. When new staff join Futuro Verde, they do so committing to a minimum two to three year contract (pending positive review and a renewal offer from FV). However, the diversity we seek is not only geographic, and we are proud to continue to hire with diversity of age, race and ethnicity, gender, life experience and personality. Our students are a diverse group and we strive to reflect that diversity among our staff.
The question is, what is the profile of an educator who will stay at Futuro Verde for an extended period of time? Is it important for all our staff to commit to the school for multiple years? In my experience, I would encourage the following mindset and considerations when committing to support teacher retention at our jungle, international, IB school:
- As a community, assure we support existing staff- send them a positive note, maintain open communication, invite them to form a meaningful part of our extended community and encourage support for school policies that retain our amazing teachers.
- For parents and students it is important to accept natural patterns of attrition. Some staff will come to FV, plant roots and stay for years and years. Others will choose FV for a set period of time and then move on to new adventures and experiences. Both types of teachers offer us enrichment as a school community and it is helpful to accept that these cycles of retention and attrition are typical in any international school.
As I enter into my fifth year here at Futuro Verde and as we come into our 10th anniversary as a school, I am most grateful for the amazing rate of retention of our committed Futuro Verde families! Thank you all for your ongoing support of our school, our progress and our future!
by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Dec 26, 2017
Accreditation ✅
New IB uniforms ✅
New students enrolled ✅
Classrooms, computer lab, library, science lab ✅
Resources ✅
Futuro Verde has reached the end of one episode and is ready to start a new and exciting one – implementation of the IB Diploma Program! We passed the accreditation process with flying colors and received great comments, yet there is still an air of apprehension, and nerves sometimes bubble to the surface. This has been a topic of conversation in class during the last few weeks and months. It is understandable, as we head into the unknown. Students wonder if they are ready, capable, and strong enough to study in two languages? Teachers feel the pressure to do the best they can for their students. It’s a great responsibility to be part of the process as students shape their futures.
Nerves are normal as something new is on the horizon. However, we must not let nerves disable us. Yes, IB is new, we know it’s rigorous and challenging, but we won’t know for sure until we try! The problem with nerves is that they can be infectious. Before you know it, you and those around you can be caught in a spiral of worry and depression. Take each week, each day, each class, one step at a time and try and stay detached from the drama of those around you. Sometimes our pessimism can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we perceive something to be “too difficult” we back off. “What’s the point? I’m going to fail anyway!” Once we’re determined something is too hard, we are sometimes tempted to give it less effort. With that negative mindset, we put ourselves at an automatic disadvantage, focus less on the task at hand, don’t do well, and then say, “See! I told you I would fail!” Finally, the thing to remember is that when things get hard, opt for grit not quit. Dig deep, look for support, organize your time and finish!
This is going to be an exciting journey for our first group of IB students and their teachers and parents.
by Lural Ramirez | Dec 26, 2017
As Futuro Verde moves into its first year as an IB World School, we are excited for some new curricular changes in 2018 that will benefit students at all ages and stages in our school and better prepare all students for their new end goal of an IB diploma!
In preschool and primary school:
- Two sessions of mindfulness classes for each grade, each month- keeping kids in touch with their emotions and on the path to a healthy, calm and mindful self
- Weekly library time- to listen to a story read aloud by our librarian Daniela Ugalde and to check out or renew a book from our school library, which boasts over 5,000 unique titles at all reading levels. Building their love for reading one book at a time!
- CREW time twice weekly- this extension of ‘homeroom’ assures everyone in class is a part of the crew, no passengers allowed. A great time to set class goals, reflect and build community!
All of these changes come in addition to the holistic offering Futuro Verde has always shown commitment to: swimming, physical education, art, music, environmental education, comparative language study, global studies, technology classes, peace practices and all the basic subjects required under Costa Rican law and our MEP accreditation.
In middle and high school:
- Electives! Choose between-
- Physical education options: for the first trimester students will choose between swimming and cycling to complement their general physical education classes. Each new semester will bring fun new options to choose from!
- Additional languages: French or Classical Languages
- The Arts: choose which semester to take music or visual arts
- CREW time twice weekly- same goals as in primary and preschool grades with an added emphasis on self-management and organizational skills.
For students in 11th grade, the choices abound:
- Language Arts and/or Acquisition: Literature (Spanish), Language and Literature (English), English B or Spanish B
- Business Management
- Biology
- Math Studies
- The Arts: Music or Visual Arts
For all IB classes, students choose from within each group and, additionally, which classes they would like to take at a higher level. These classes come in addition to their Core classes: Theory of Knowledge, CAS and Extended Essay.
It is looking like it will be a fantastic 2018 school year ahead at Futuro Verde!
by Lural Ramirez | Dec 1, 2017
If you are a FV classical languages student then “Panta Rhei” may be a Greek saying from the philosopher Heraclitus that you understand. But even if your Greek is a little rusty, the phrase’s meaning – everything, or all, flows – is something we have all lived and know to be true. Often times we refer to this as “the only constant is change”. In Futuro Verde, we are committed to a consistently high-quality and loving learning environment that nurtures and supports children through all ages and stages of life. Our true essence and founding principles will never change, but the details of how we run our programs will change in big and small ways each year. I share with you here a brief summary of some of the exciting changes in the works for the 2018 school year:
- Futuro Verde is an IB World School, offering the diploma program in years 11 and 12 and high-quality, IB aligned learning at all grades!
- We will have a later start, with a school schedule from Monday – Friday, 8:00-3:00!
- We will have fully finished and stunning learning spaces: science lab, computer lab, two libraries, a music lab, a language lab and an art studio!
- Plans are in the works for rejuvenated garden and recreational spaces!
- Electives will be offered from 7th grade on! Student choice = more love of learning
These changes are positives shifts to the already amazing school you know and love! Thank you for your continued support, commitment and investment in a Futuro Verde education for your child!
by Katie Chiaverini | Nov 30, 2017
The big day is almost here…the first annual Sustainable Solutions Fair hosted by Futuro Verde students on Saturday, December 2nd from 9am to 2pm! All of our students, grades pre-K through 11th, have been working very hard on developing innovative projects and they are ready to educate their families, friends, and community members on sustainable solutions to local issues.
Our school community will gather together on this day to share ideas about how we can protect our environment and lead a healthy life; making sustainability a part of our everyday lives with each action we take.
Over the last few months, the students have been asking questions, researching, interviewing, planning, discussing, designing, creating, building, improving, and developing their chosen topics based around one shared theme: sustainability. The level of engagement and direct involvement the students have had with teachers, volunteers, parents, peers, specialists, and nature itself is impressive. The Sustainable Solutions Fair is definitely a joint project from start to finish. From little hands squishing recycled paper into water to large hands shoveling clay-ridden earth to mix with compost, it is evident that searching for sustainable solutions not only requires critical thinking, but hard work and a lot of grit!
The beauty of sustainability is that it can be applied to anything. It is all encompassing. From a small, local problem to a large, global issue shared amongst many, sustainable solutions are always a possibility. While many students have focused locally, their ideas can be applied globally. From methods of organic pest control to plastic pollution, from over fishing to domestic animal overbreeding, from excess waste to red tide…our student projects truly embody the term “think globally, act locally.”
On this day, our children will be our teachers. Get ready to be inspired!
by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Nov 13, 2017
Over the last few years there has been concentrated focus and investment in technology at Futuro Verde. The multi-media center offers our students of all ages the opportunity to use one of our 20 desktop computers. Investment in EBSCO means that all students now have the necessary tools to conduct research from varied and high-quality sources. Use of Google Classroom in all high school classes gives teachers and students a two-way portal to communicate effectively about classwork, homework, and projects.
As we prepare for the launch of the IB Diploma Program at Futuro Verde we continue, as always, to ask ourselves, “How can we prepare our students to be as successful as they can be?” The diploma program will require a new level of research both in school and at home, greater use of Google Classroom, and an increased level of academic writing as they undertake the Extended Essay and other research projects. For this reason, all students in 11th and 12th grades will be required to have a personal computer and bring it to school every day. While all high school students would benefit from having a personal computer, it is particularly recommended for students in 9th and 10th grades as they prepare to embark on the IB diploma in 11th grade.
We understand that purchasing a personal computer for your student is a sizeable investment and would encourage you to start planning as soon as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions that you may have.
