by Angie Briceño | Oct 30, 2019
We are nearing the end of the school year and this also means that some fantastic celebrations for Middle and High School students are coming up!
In 2015 and again in 2018, high school students had a magical and unforgettable night together filled with dance, a fire show, and an amazing time all dressed up with their friends.
Prom is an anticipated event by all, and it is not only attending it that makes it so appealing and exciting, yet also being able to participate in its organization and production! That is why this year, we have 2 dance committees made up of students, parents and teachers taking care of all the logistics.
Two committees?
Yes, there are two committees this year! One prom committee with 9th to 11th grade students and another, consisting of students from 6th to 8th grade, organizing the first Middle School Dance at Futuro Verde.
Both committees have the task of carrying out all the event logistics such as music, food, venue, dance theme, date, price, activities and much more. Everyone is working hard so that both dances are successful and fun. Below you will find detailed information regarding both proms:
PROM for students from 9th to 12th:
Theme: An Arabian Night
Date: November 23rd
Time: 6:00 to 11:00 pm
Place: Quebrada State, Las Delicias
Admission: only for students from 9th to 12th and their companions (from 15 to 19 years old)
Admission price: 8,000 colones before November 1st, 10,000 colones after November 1st
Dress Code: Semi-formal
Middle School Dance from 6th to 8th grade:
Theme: Tropical Spring Fling
Date: November 9th
Time: 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Place: Futuro Verde
Admission: Only for 6th to 8th grade Futuro Verde students
Admission price: 1000 colones
Dress Code: Semi-formal
We hope to continue with these important student traditions which develop excellent life skills such as organization, planning, communication, oracy and creativity, conflict resolution and teamwork. Encourage your children to be part of the 2020 dance committees!
Stay tuned for more activities on our Instagram and Facebook channels!
by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Oct 3, 2019
11th grade is hard at work, raising funds for their upcoming trip to Guatemala at the end of November. Students will experience the sights and sounds of Antigua, climb a volcano, visit local villages, and be responsible for making meals for the group! This trip will be the culmination of fundraising activities that started at the beginning of last year. It is a fundamental part of Futuro Verde’s philosophy that students should be responsible for raising the money for their field trips. This way, families are not burdened with an extra cost and students learn about the results of effort and the value of money.
However, fundraising isn’t easy. Sodas are the traditional method at Futuro Verde, but you need a lot of sodas to raise $5,000! There have been lots of good ideas, and some very successful events, but sometimes putting these into practice has been a challenge. Across all grades we have been seeing some interesting initiatives: the chance not to wear uniform in exchange for a donation, raffles, garage sales, movie nights, and sponsored field trip t-shirts. One of the main challenges is that fundraising efforts normally target students and staff. As that is a relatively small population, all these initiatives are looking to benefit from the same limited pot of financial resources. One suggestion to all classes looking to pay for their field trips is to consider holding events that reach a wider audience. Also, maybe we’re missing a trick if we don’t involve parents, families, and friends and ask for their ideas and support.
So what’s next for 11th grade? A great collaboration between a student and his parents. Look out for an announcement about a raffle with a prize of dinner at Restaurant Montezuma!
by Karol Madrigal | Oct 2, 2019
At the end of this month, our eleventh-grade students will take the Social and Civic Studies examinations of the Costa Rican Public Education Ministry, which they must pass to obtain the Costa Rican Baccalaureate diploma. These tests assess all content learned by the students, in each subject, during the last two years. For this reason, students need to be very focused and committed to making the most of their preparation time.
Although all the content has already been addressed in previous classes, during the remaining month and a half all subject matter will be reviewed and revised. This classroom review consists of practicing with exams from previous years to get to know the format of the test and acquire techniques or strategies that help them reply correctly. However, to achieve successful preparation, it is important that efforts be made both in class and at home. Students should attend class, but also study at home, allowing them to identify any doubts they have regarding each topic and arrive to class ready to ask their questions and make the most of the tutoring.
As the date approaches, it is also essential to be very aware of not ignoring such important aspects as necessary rest and proper nutrition. Both affect concentration, physical well-being and, thus, overall school performance.
The dates of the examinations are: Thursday, October 31st, Social Studies and Tuesday, November 5th, Civics.
by Lural Ramirez | Aug 30, 2019
Over the course of this year I will be sharing with you reflections on our school’s core values. My article in July explored the third of five core school values, “Futuro Verde: Our cultural oxygen expands your curiosity”. Today, I will be sharing reflections on our fourth core school value.
Futuro Verde: We Take the Best of our Diversity to Live in Harmony
What a gift it is to belong to an international school community like ours! Did you know that not all international school communities are the same? Frequently you will find international schools where English is the only language taught. Other international schools may be located in a country different to their curricular offering that is tied strictly to a British, American or Australian framework for learning and the host country for the school is often not reflected in the school culture. Most other international schools are also geared toward educating only the economically privileged members of the community. As you most likely already know, none of these international school tendencies describe Futuro Verde!
Futuro Verde is an international school unlike most others! Here are some of the fascinating facts about our diverse community:
- Each year our student population is made up of students from around 33 unique countries from around the world.
- Over 60% of our student population is Costa Rican.
- Most years we boast over 10 unique native languages spoken in our students’ homes.
- Our school staff come from 14 different countries, with four English dialects taught and five Spanish dialects represented.
- We are a fully bilingual school, providing instruction equally amounts of time in Spanish and English from ages 3-18.
- A minimum of 30% of our students each year receive some form of financial aid in order to attend school with us.
- We are a secular school that welcomes all forms of belief and spiritual practice and our staff and student population is full of diversity in faith as well.
It is an amazing thing, if you think about it, that so much rich diversity has gathered in this little corner of the world! But, by far, the best part of our diversity is the harmony we keep with one another. In an ever divisive world, a global and diverse microcosm like Futuro Verde offers an opportunity to grow in tolerance, acceptance and open-mindedness and we strive to lead in the commitment to promoting a more peaceful and harmonious world. Thank YOU for forming part of the inspiring community that is Futuro Verde!
by Karol Madrigal | Aug 29, 2019
During the month of September, at the same time as our fellow Central American nations, we celebrate our country´s Declaration of Independence. As a result, a series of activities are organized, such as decorating the classrooms with patriotic symbols, creating lanterns, and rehearsing for the colorful parade of marching bands, flag bearers and twirlers, among others.
This holiday, in particular, is highly valued at a national level as it represents a special opportunity to reflect on how proud we feel of our political stability and pacifism, which is evident in the fact that our parades, throughout the country, are organized and spearheaded by our “army” of teachers and students.
This year, all our students are already preparing for their participation in the parade on Sunday, September 15th. To this purpose, we have formed a variety of groups preparing different types of presentations and dedicating time and effort to our weekly rehearsals.
In addition, at the beginning of September, our classrooms and corridors will be decorated with patriotic symbols and lanterns will be made for the nightly lantern parades held in each community on Saturday, September 14th. In conclusion, our students will have the opportunity to enjoy all the ongoing activities while developing their civic awareness.
by Stuart Millar, IB coordinator | Aug 27, 2019
On the morning of November 4th, 2019 our first cohort of IB diploma students will start their exams. Exams are spread over three weeks with Spanish and English in the first week, business management in the second week, and math studies, biology and music in the third week. By lunchtime on Thursday 21st November, after twenty hours of exams, we will have some very happy and relieved students, teachers and parents!
For some of us it’s been a long time since we did high school exams, and the IB exam format might be new and of interest to some of you. IB uses a range of exam instruments including essay answers of more than 1,000 words, analysis of music scores, and extended answers where students are required to demonstrate high-level analytical and evaluative thinking. It’s a far cry from the traditional exam format of multiple choice, short answers, and regurgitating memorized facts. For example, in business management, paper 1, the 2 hour and 15 minutes exam is based on a case study about a fictional business. The students have already received the case study of nearly two thousand words and are working to understand it, analyze it, and identify all the topics they might be asked about. In the exam they will be given additional information about the company and will be asked to recommend appropriate and effective business strategies for the company’s growth.
Before the exams even start the IB cohort is finishing off business, biology, and math projects as well as preparing for a visual arts exhibition! We’re very proud of the graduates of 2019. If you happen to see Elian, Lawrence, Mateo, or Dilana please be sure to wish them luck!