Calling local business owners and employers … volunteer placements needed!

Calling local business owners and employers … volunteer placements needed!

by | Jun 20, 2017

Futuro Verde is excited to launch an internship program for high school students and we are inviting local business owners and employers to offer placement opportunities. The intention is that students from 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, with parent/guardian permission, will embark on this valuable learning experience towards the end of the school year for the period of up to a week.

What is an internship? An internship is “hands-on” experience in the workplace where both the intern and business have objectives that they want to achieve. For the student, it is an opportunity to apply classroom learning in the real world.

What are the benefits of an internship program? Futuro Verde believes we increase our knowledge and develop our skills through new experiences and learning by doing. An internship or work placement does just that.

 

Benefits for the student:

  • Discover new career ideas and opportunities
  • Hands-on training
  • Apply your academic learning in the real world
  • Mentoring from local business leaders
  • Experience looks good on your resume!

Benefits for the business:

  • An extra pair of hands to get a project done
  • Interns can bring new ideas and perspective
  • Find future employees
  • Support students as they start to consider further education and careers
  • Give back to the community

What sorts of businesses can take part in the program? Any and all types! Farming, garden centers, retail, hotels, restaurants, medicine, automotive mechanics, wellness, construction, education, real estate, surf businesses, spa’s, yoga, law, not-for-profit, entrepreneurship … so many great and diverse opportunities all around us.

How can a business get involved? If you would be willing to offer a Futuro Verde student this wonderful opportunity, or would just like to find out more, please contact Stuart Millar at stuart@futuro-verde.org or Angie Briceño at angie@futuro-verde.org

What sorts of businesses can take part in the program? Any and all types! Farming, garden centers, retail, hotels, restaurants, medicine, automotive mechanics, wellness, construction, education, real estate, surf businesses, spa’s, yoga, law, not-for-profit, entrepreneurship … so many great and diverse opportunities all around us.

How can a business get involved? If you would be willing to offer a Futuro Verde student this wonderful opportunity, or would just like to find out more, please contact Stuart Millar at stuart@futuro-verde.org or Angie Briceño at angie@futuro-verde.org

 

Principled participants

Principled participants

by | Jun 19, 2017

The school soda (snack shop) is a wonderful learning opportunity for Futuro Verde students. Each class has the responsibility to supply and run the soda on different days throughout the school year, culminating in an educational field trip. Raising money in this way helps all students take ownership of their class fundraising efforts. At the same time, they can learn about healthy food, how to follow a recipe, to set prices, and count change.

The class soda days are a group effort, for the good of all students, as all of them have the opportunity to go on the field trips. But what happens when students repeatedly don’t participate? What effect does that have on the rest of the team? It doesn’t seem very fair, just or respectful. There are probably many possible and legitimate reasons for non-participation, but there are still negative consequences. The class makes less money, perhaps they have to change the field trip, or parents might be asked to contribute to cover the costs. There can also be consequences for the student in their class; resentment can build amongst the other students.

How can we, as parents and teachers, help our students be less of an island and a more principled team player, contributing to the group effort? Money and cost of ingredients can be a barrier that we can help students overcome with some very cost effective suggestions. Organization can also be hard for some of our students, and before they know it the day of the soda comes and they have nothing to contribute. Perhaps the greatest challenge is to inculcate the personal sense of responsibility; to overcome the “justification” of “other people don’t do it either!”

Taking Advantage of the Break

Taking Advantage of the Break

by | Jun 19, 2017

 

Breaks from the routine are welcomed opportunities to rest and recharge. They can also be a chance to reconnect with our children as there is more time to spend quality time together. Here are 3 ideas for creating a positive experience during this school vacation.

  1. Engagement: One of the best ways to do this is to limit technology use and actively create opportunities to connect with our kids. This could be as simple as going for a walk together, having dinner as a family, or scheduling family game night. Any positive, targeted attention can strengthen that bond and let children know that they are cared for. It also supports their social emotional development and gives them the tools they need to interact with others as they go about their day. With this basic need fulfilled, kids feel more confident, more stable, and more at ease.
  2. Reading: Taking time to read with our kids and giving them guidance to read independently, ensures that their brains stay active and that their learning growth doesn’t regress. This is especially true for students in the primary grades as they are actively and continuously acquiring reading skills. To help them maintain their progress, providing as little as 20 minutes of daily independent reading gives them what they need. It can also prove to be a great way to connect with them as we inquire about what they are reading and ask them some question to gauge their comprehension and share common interests.
  3. Limited Screen Time: While it’s nice during vacation to indulge in some of the activities where there isn’t time during the normal school schedule, it’s important to consider some of the implication of too much screen time for developing brains. By limiting technology use, we can help our children develop socially while also supporting their brain development. Scientific research shows that increased technology use can lead to difficulty sleeping, decreased empathy, and shorter attention spans (Greenfield 2015). This can have a negative effect over time and create imbalance. Recent studies even show that the effect of digital screen time on developing brains is almost exactly the same as the use of narcotics. With neurotransmitters disrupted, it is difficult for the brain to recover and adapt. Over time, this can have a lasting impact on the mental and emotional health of young children.

By mindfully connecting and proactively creating positive experiences with our children, we can guarantee a quality experience over the school break that provides opportunity for bonding that will carry forward long after the vacation is over.

New sports achievements!

New sports achievements!

by | May 29, 2017

deportes, estudiantes, competencias estudiantes, regionales, ajedrez, natación, baloncesto
This beginning of the year we have been very busy training and participating in a wide variety of sports. Our school has been well represented in all the sports where our athletes have competed, with some of the sport-specific achievements from previous years continuing on as successes again this year. This year Futuro Verde had two students qualify on to nationals in cross country. In swimming, we are also having a lot of success with 14 athletes qualifying for nationals. In these two sports, we have maintained our competitive level and have demonstrated that, despite the many challenges, with work and discipline, important things can be achieved. However, these have not been all our achievements so far. For the first time in the history of Futuro Verde, and thanks to the help of Professor Oscar Leal Méndez, we have formed a chess team that has proudly and prominently represented our institution in regional and interregional events. Also, new this year, we have formed three basketball teams which are still in the training stage and will soon be ready to compete.

But we’re only halfway through the year. In the coming months we will be organizing different sports events that will offer a number of opportunities for recreation and physical activity. These include a community chess tournament, a cross-country field race and different clubs to be offered after school. Stay tuned and informed and do not miss any of these amazing opportunities.

Good communicators in action!

Good communicators in action!

by | May 23, 2017

On 22nd May 2017, our 10th and 11th-grade students attended the Costa Rica International College Fair in Curridabat to visit with representatives from a variety of universities from North and Latin America. This was an opportunity to promote themselves and ask questions as they research their postsecondary education options.

A good communicator knows what their message is. As they prepared for the college fair our students were asked to reflect on “Who am I?” and “What do I want to convey about myself?” Students prepared a written personal statement. They also practiced asking and answering questions verbally, remembering that oral communication is clearest and most effective when we maintain eye contact, speak clearly, don’t fidget, show we are listening, and are dressed appropriately.

The college fair was a very successful event. Our students represented Futuro Verde very well and it was exciting to see them plan the next exciting chapter of their lives.

IB* Verification Visit

IB* Verification Visit

by | May 23, 2017

 

Futuro Verde is at the final stage of the application for authorization to offer the IB* Diploma Program. On May 29th and 30th we will be hosting two visitors from IB* as they conduct the verification visit. Over the two days, there will be interviews conducted with all our prospective IB* teachers, the diploma program coordinator (designate), head of school, parents of prospective IB* students, students, and board members. The visit will also include a tour of school facilities. At the end of the visit, the inspectors will give their findings verbally to the head of school and IB* coordinator (designate). Thank you to all board members, staff, parents, and students for all the support they have given as we pursue authorization as an IB* World School.

*Centro Educativo Futuro Verde is a candidate school* for the Diploma Programme.  This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School.  These are schools that share a common philosophy- a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Centro Educativo Futuro Verde believes is important for our students. Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme or the Career-related Programme (CP).  Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org