North Pacific Schools
There isn't just one way to describe schools in Costa Rica because they vary so much. You can find public and private schools, as well as different teaching styles like Waldorf and Montessori. There are local Costa Rican schools, international schools, and ones that offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Basically, whatever type of learning you need, there's a school in Costa Rica for you.
Because choosing the right school is so important for families, it's a good idea to pick a school that fits your needs first. Once you find a school that works for your family, you can then look for a home in nearby towns or communities that meets your other requirements.
Tamarindo/Flamingo
There's a lot to think about when choosing a school, especially in a smaller area like Tamarindo/Flamingo where you have many options. As you start looking, here are some important things to consider:
Location: All six schools we are talking about are just a short drive from Tamarindo/Flamingo. Even so, it's smart to think about how far you live from the school. This is important because it affects your and your kids' daily travel to and from school. If you're worried about busy morning or afternoon commutes, most international schools in Costa Rica offer private bus transportation to help out.
Playas del Coco offers a good variety of private schools, and choosing the right one depends on several factors:
Location: Out of the six schools we're looking at, only one is actually in Playas del Coco. The others are east of the town, spread out between Comunidad and Liberia. It's important to note that Liberia is a 45-minute drive one way. However, many families think the commute is worth it for the right school.
Grades/Levels: Most of the schools on our list serve students up to high school, but only one offers Grade 12. In Costa Rica, high schools usually go through Grade 11.
School Year: Almost all the schools follow the Costa Rican school calendar, which is from February to November, and sometimes extends into early December.
Playas del Coco/Playa Hermosa
Founded in September, 2007 as a nonsectarian, co-educational, independent day school Del Mar Academy provides education for children from diverse backgrounds from as young as 18 months though to grade 8. Their schooling model is based upon Montessori principles of independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural physical, psychological, and social development. The higher grades incorporate the international Baccalaureate program. Del Mar Academy states that they aim to guide students towards being “aware, agile and effective global citizens armed with globally recognized qualifications.”
Curriculum
Toddlers: Practical life skills – motor skills – language skills – Sensorial skills – Basic Math skills – Dramatic play – Art
Ages 3-6: language – Mathematics – Science & Environmental studies – Geography & Culture – History – Practical life / Life management skills – Sensorial exercises – Physical Education, Health & Athletics – Peace Education
Nosara
Introducing our Northern-Pacific Schools
Tamarindo/Flamingo, Playas del Coco/Playa Hermosa & Nosara. An array of Schools with the highest class of education.
Tamarindo: An Educational Hub for all Years
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When picking a school in Costa Rica, there are several key points to keep in mind:
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Grades/Levels: Out of the six schools on our list, five go up to high school, but only four offer Grade 12. Remember, high school in Costa Rica usually ends after 11th grade.
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School Year: This is a big decision for your family. Most private schools in Costa Rica follow either the local schedule from February to December or the U.S. schedule from September to June. Choosing the right one is important for your plans.
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Accreditation: If you think you might move back to your home country before your kids finish school, picking a school with international accreditation is a smart move. It makes moving and applying to colleges easier. But if you plan to stay in Costa Rica, choose a school that's recognized by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education (MEP) to prepare for local universities.
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International Baccalaureate (IB): The IB program is well-regarded globally and offers a diploma that universities around the world accept. It's a great choice if you want your children to have international options for college.
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Tuition: Remember, private schools cost money. However, the price can vary a lot. Luckily, some international schools in Costa Rica are quite affordable.
Please Note: Published tuitions have been updated for the 2022/2023 academic year. Tuition ranges, when shown, are for primary through high school.
Tamarindo / Flamingo
Costa Rica International Academy (CRIA)
Location: Brasilito, 500 Meters South of Reserva Conchal
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + U.S. (Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools – MSA)
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: $7,405-$10,175/year plus fees
CRIA, previously known as Country Day Guanacaste, now stands for Costa Rica International Academy. The name "CRIA" also resembles the Spanish word "criar," which means to raise or grow. This school offers classes from pre-K to 12th grade to students from over 22 different countries. Its teachers, who come from more than 10 nationalities, are all certified professionals.
At CRIA, the focus is on both encouraging students' interests and providing serious academics. The program is mainly taught in English but also has a strong Spanish component. Students can choose from various activities including swimming, surfing, drama, chess, Model United Nations, community service, filmmaking, and SCUBA diving.
The school keeps class sizes small, with an average of 18 students per class and a teacher for every 10 students. This helps teachers give more attention to each student. CRIA is proud of its 100% graduation rate and college acceptance rate. Its graduates have been accepted into top universities like Brown University, UC Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon.
Educarte Bilingual High School
Location: Huacas, 9 kms NE of Tamarindo
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP)
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: $4,840-$5,452/year plus fees
Educarte, also known as the Centro de Aprendizaje (Center for Learning), focuses on innovative teaching methods that highlight important values, academic success, global awareness, and cultural diversity. This is all done through a bilingual program.
The school supports a diverse mix of students from various backgrounds and languages. It offers classes from preschool to 11th grade and keeps class sizes small, capped at 22 students. The curriculum includes strong English programs (like literature and writing), project-based learning, French, and Spanish as a second language.
Educarte promotes a strong love for learning among its teachers and the students' families. This helps students not just with school work, but also teaches them about their potential impact in the world. The goal is to create learning experiences that make a real difference in students' lives.
Pacific Waldorf School
Location: Between Playa Tamarindo and Playa Avellanas, 6.5 kms Southeast of Villarreal, 400 mts from Sabanero Lodge (about 13 kms SE of Tamarindo)
Grades/Levels: Preschool-8th
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP)
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: Contact
The Pacific Waldorf School (PWS) follows the Waldorf philosophy, also known as Steiner Education. This approach combines intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in a well-rounded educational experience. PWS is the biggest Waldorf school in Costa Rica and the surrounding regions.
At PWS, the environment is key. Students enjoy healthy food and a campus designed for outdoor activities. The school provides hands-on learning and a variety of extracurricular activities, including French and German classes. All classes are taught in both English and Spanish, making the education fully bilingual.
PWS offers an elementary curriculum that emphasizes thinking, feeling, and doing. It does not provide high school education. The curriculum covers core subjects like math, reading, writing, geography, nature studies, music, and art through practical and engaging methods. The aim is to create a curriculum that sparks a lifelong passion for learning.
IREN Instituto Renacimiento
Location: Black Stallion Eco Park & Estates, Guanacaste Province, Linderos
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: Alternative (Vacation in July & December)
Accreditation: Choice of MEP Distance Diploma, International Online Program, or the US GED
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: Contact
IREN, short for Instituto Renacimiento or Rebirth Institute, is surrounded by lush forests and wide open spaces. It offers a different kind of education to the Tamarindo area on a 33-acre campus designed for just 50 students. This small number ensures that each student gets a lot of personal attention.
IREN was started because people were unhappy with regular schools. It puts students at the center of everything, allowing them to shape their own education. They do this through customized study plans and projects based on what each student is interested in. The school environment focuses on understanding and respect, promoting positive learning and teaching discipline through multiple senses. This setup lets parents get involved and ensures that education suits each child’s learning style.
But IREN isn’t just about school subjects. It also helps kids develop skills they need for life, encourages them to love learning, and offers unique activities. At IREN’s Black Stallion’s Eco Camp, kids do more than just math and Spanish. They learn survival skills, gardening, horseback riding, how to take care of animals, and other important life skills.
Journey School of Costa Rica
Location: On the road to Huacas from Tamarindo, just after The Oaks
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: U.S. (Cognia); currently pursuing Costa Rica (MEP) Accreditation
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: $7,920/year plus fees
One of the newest entrants to international schools in Costa Rica, and especially to Tamarindo, Journey School of Costa Rica (founded 2018) is, well… all about the journey. Their project-based curriculum offers hands-on learning, customized class schedules, and a personalized approach, with an emphasis on building community and self.
Journey delivers a dual-language setting and a strong, student-focused curriculum designed around each student’s individualized developmental and academic needs. They also place a strong focus on social and emotional skills, including breathing and self-reflection, to teach the whole child.
They also guarantee small class sizes (in a strict 10:1 ratio), in order to foster deep interpersonal relationships, as well as a full menu of electives from veterinary science and the culinary arts to entrepreneurship and skateboarding. Additionally, Journey offers a rigorous high school program, with honors, AP, and college-level classes and a U.S. diploma through its online accreditation.
La Paz Community School
Location: Flamingo/Brasilito, 400 meters east of Mar Vista
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + Accredited IB World School
International Baccalaureate (IB): Yes
Tuition: $8,860-$10,580/year plus fees
The only IB program on our list, La Paz doubles down both on academics and student life. It’s immediately obvious upon your first visit: The school day begins with silent meditation during the morning meeting – and it can be pretty impressive to witness the entire student body gathered (public health, permitting) in collective silence.
La Paz’s philosophy revolves around life-long learning, peace, and stepping outside one’s comfort zone, based on a synthesis of community and the world, family and self. Throughout, they offer a strong academic program from early childhood through high school, as well as a focus on the arts: everything from painting and ceramics to textiles and an (IB) International Baccalaureate Visual Arts. (Learn more about their full IB program.)
The La Paz methodology revolves around a Two Way Dual Immersion (TWDI) program – a long-term biliteracy program that approximately divides the curriculum into 50/50 English/Spanish – and thematic learning, a theme-driven program that equates current subject matter to the big picture. (By way of example, the 2020-2021 year’s themes are Peace Ambassadors, Sustainability, Origins, Land and Sea, Wellness, Energy, Creative Expression, and Gratitude.)
TIDE Academy
Location: Tamarindo, across from the AutoMercado
Grades/Levels: K-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + Partnership (high school) with Global Village School (WASC accreditation) or Northern Atlantic Regional High School (MSA CESS accreditation)
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: $5,500-$6,000/year plus fees
Tide Academy is well known for its unique and alternative academic offering: With a maximum class size of 6 (you read right!) and a concise Monday-Thursday, 8:00-12:00 schedule (again, you read right!), Tide places a clear emphasis on solid academics paired with plenty of free time to pursue extracurricular interests. The school also offers one of Costa Rica’s most flexible schedules, making it an excellent choice for families who travel often and students who have outside commitments.
Built for individualized learning and non-traditional students, Tide balances student life with real life – with balance and satisfaction, for the whole person. As such, they develop a personalized curriculum for each student, offering families optional testing and other non-traditional approaches to learning.
Students are encouraged to participate in afternoon electives (12:30-2:30 p.m.), which include group learning, coding, wilderness adventures, mindfulness, and other options. Additionally, Tide offers a Dance Academy and Surf Academy, allowing students to pursue their interests.
Playas del Coco/Playa Hermosa Area
Exploring Education in Playas del Coco: Schools, Accreditation, and Options
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Accreditation: All schools on our list are locally accredited through the Costa Rican Ministry of Education (MEP). Only one is integrated with the WIDA International School Consortium. We’ll update if this information changes.
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International Baccalaureate (IB): If there’s a chance that your kids might go to college abroad, then you may already be looking toward their academic futures (even if they’re in preschool; they grow fast!). With regard to private schools in Playas del Coco, that means an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; no schools on our list currently offer a U.S. diploma or other international accreditation.
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Tuition: The tuition for private schools in Playas del Coco is fairly affordable, as private school tuition goes, but there’s still no way around it: Private education costs add up.
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6 Private Schools in Playas del Coco (ok, technically, near)
In alphabetical order:
Please Note: Published tuitions have been updated for the 2022/2023 academic year. Tuition ranges, when shown, are for primary through high school.
Academia Teocali
Location: Liberia, 2.5 kms north of the Toyota
Grades/Levels: PreK-11
School Year: February-November (Costa Rican Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + Accredited IB World School
International Baccalaureate (IB): Yes
Tuition: Contact (servicioalcliente@teocali.org)
Sourced from the Nahuatl word “Teocali,” meaning “House of Wisdom,” Academia Teocali has delivered four decades of competitive, bilingual education to Northern Guanacaste families.
One of the school’s core values is true bilingualism: No matter a child’s first language, Teocali works to graduate students who have equally mastered English and Spanish. They pair their language efforts and excellent academics with strong extracurriculars and extensive grounds, which include sports fields and a semi-Olympic swimming pool.
In 2014, the school upped their educational ante with International Baccalaureate certification and the IB diploma program – one of the first IB options in our immediate region. (The only other IB option is La Paz, below.) Additionally, students benefit from the University of Costa Rica’s MATEM 125 program and preparatory courses for TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), should they wish to pursue English-language, post-secondary educational offerings.
Note that Teocali is located in Liberia, about 45 minutes (one way) from Playas del Coco.
Colegio Bilingüe Ciudad Blanca
Location: 350 meters south of Plaza Liberia, Liberia
Grades/Levels: PreK-11
School Year: February-November (Costa Rican Calendar)
Accreditation: MEP
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: Contact (info@cbcb.ed.cr)
CBCB’s dual emphasis is on Christian values and strong, bilingual academics, with a focus on English and Spanish, creative writing, science, math, and social studies/civics/history. In addition to these core subjects, the school works to foster critical organizational skills through oral and written reports, and to explore the great outdoors – the “natural science laboratory” that the campus so generously affords.
CBCB also offers a robust extracurricular program, which offers everything from guitar and computer lab to art and after-school sports. Furthermore, the school is strong on character – “God, justice, truth, and honesty” – paired with spiritual growth and generosity of spirit, which they promote through various programs, including an annual Christmas toy drive and volunteering at a Nicaraguan orphanage.
Note that CBCB is located in Liberia, about 45 minutes (one way) from Playas del Coco.
Dolphin’s Academy School
Location: Barrio Los Canales y Barrio Monteseco, Playas del Coco
Grades/Levels: PreK-11
School Year: February-November (Costa Rican Calendar)
Accreditation: MEP
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: Contact (info@dolphinsacademycr.com)
With a promise to nurture tomorrow’s world citizens, Dolphins Academy is a preschool through high school choice located right in Playas del Coco.
With a firm emphasis on diversity in both education and life, Dolphins embraces its student body’s differences and similarities – and teaches children to do the same. Their approach is multi-faceted, emphasizing everything from volunteer beach clean-ups and wilderness camps to charity drives and the school’s famed Wealthy Kids Course, designed to teach financial literacy from an early age.
In addition to good academics and TOEFL testing (to certify students’ English proficiency), Dolphins values its community. Students and their families are encouraged to participate in dozens of annual events, including holidays, regular movie nights, and global observation days for peace, Earth Day, and more. They also run one of Coco’s only summer camps – a huge draw, come December and January!
La Paz School (Tempisque Campus)
Location: Comunidad, behind the DoIT Center
Grades/Levels: PreK-12
School Year: September-June (U.S. Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + Accredited IB World School
International Baccalaureate (IB): Yes
Tuition: $8,860-$10,580/year plus fees
La Paz School’s newest location, the renowned school’s Tempisque campus brings La Paz’s signature focus on academics and IB Program to Playas del Coco (via la Comunidad, about 15 minutes east of downtown).
Like its sister school in the Tamarindo area, La Paz Tempisque places a strong emphasis on student life and academics. It begins with the morning meditation – an impressive sight, when you see an entire school, collectively silent for its morning meeting – and fans out into almost every aspect of a student’s education: La Paz is built around a philosophy of life-long learning, facing challenges, and building peace, achieved through pushing boundaries and fostering community, both locally and around the world.
Were building honest, kind global citizens not enough, La Paz also offers one of the area’s strongest academic offerings, focusing on core subjects, the arts, and its Two Way Dual Immersion (TDWI) program: a long-term, biliteracy program that employs thematic learning and a 50/50 English/Spanish split to map academic subject matter to its greater place in the world. (By way of example, the 2020-2021 year’s themes were Peace Ambassadors, Sustainability, Origins, Land and Sea, Wellness, Energy, Creative Expression, and Gratitude.)
Lakeside International School
Location: Comunidad, about 15 minutes from Playas del Coco
Grades/Levels: PreK-11
School Year: February-November (Costa Rican Calendar)
Accreditation: Costa Rica (MEP) + WIDA International School Consortium
International Baccalaureate (IB): No
Tuition: $4,320-$5,520/year plus fees
Home to one of Guanacaste’s most scenic campuses – it’s set against the backdrop of a 200-acre aquaculture farm that raises fish and shrimp – Lakeside International School’s landscapes teeming with monkeys, lizards, and 260+ bird species. It’s a natural wonderland and an outdoor education – quite literally, when you’re in the outdoor classroom!
Not one to rest on its laurels, Lakeside rounds out its beauty with a diverse student body, strong academics, and holistic learning, which caters to the whole student and helps Lakeside Learners not only succeed academically but also personally. This approach, paired with an international bilingual curriculum, helps Lakeside consistently rank as one of the top private schools in Playas del Coco and Guanacaste.
What many Lakeside families love most is the school’s approach to personal development. Through its values and teaching, the school helps its students develop leadership, perseverance, confidence, social consciousness, critical thinking, creativity, independence, problem-solving skills, and confident self-expression.
Sea Wonders Academy
Location: Sardinal, about 15 minutes from Playas del Coco
Grades/Levels: PreK-6 (Plans underway to open a high school)
School Year: February-November (Costa Rican Calendar)
Accreditation: MEP
International Baccalaureate (IB): Planned (future high school)
Tuition: Contact (contabilidad@seawonders.ed.cr)
Sea Wonders Academy is a primary school (with immediate future plans to expand into high school) and a family educational community that offers bilingual education through educational innovation and lifelong values.
Here, the emphasis is on both academics and holistic development, which relies on diverse experiences to build academic excellence, develop critical thinking, foster creativity, and build the skills necessary to successfully face the challenges of today. The method: Build an environment of love and trust, to promote self-reflection and allow students to discover themselves, conquer their own identities, and develop their skills through active and project-based learning, in healthy coexistence with others and with the environment.
Note that, in addition to academics, Sea Wonders actively teaches religion: The school holds a form of Catholic mass on Fridays and emphasizes Christian values. One of its goals is, “to form people who become autonomous and free in the conduct of their lives, according to what God wants of them.”
Nosara
Del Mar Academy
Lower / Upper elementary: English and Spanish Language arts – Mathematics – Science – Social sciences – Information Communications Technology – Life Skills – Economics and money management skills – Community involvement and service – Peace education
Middle school: The middle school curriculum continues with Montessori principles while placing increasing emphasis on preparing students for the International Baccalaureate Program. In addition to core studies such as math and science middle schoolers will be introduced to physical education, technology, agriculture, music, industrial and plastic arts, and life skills.
Admission
Del Mar Academy accepts applications and inquiries from all parents of children ranging from 18 months to 13 years old.
Although anyone may apply Del Mar states that the admissions committee assigns priority for admission according to the following criteria:
First admission priority is given to:
Siblings of currently enrolled students
Commitment to the Montessori Philosophy
Montessori Transferees
Fees
DMA fees are payable as either a single payment or 3 separate payments. Separate payments are subject to a nominal admin fee.
Toddlers annual payment
8.00am – 11.30am 5 days = $2500 3 days = $1950 2 days = $1375
11.30am – 3.00pm 5 days = $2500 3 days = $1950 2 days = $1375
8.00am – 3.00pm 5 days = $4428 3 days = 3320 2 days = $2214
Casa Half Day Tuition: Available to 3-4 year olds – Annual fee = $5950
Casa Full Day Tuition: Annual fee = $8041
Elementary (Lower and Upper) Annual fee = $8100
Middle and High School (7th, 8th, and 9th grades) Annual fee = $8170
The observations and teachings of Dr Maria Montessori serve as the platform from which The Del Mar Academy educational model takes its inspiration. Through a range of hands-on activities including motor skill coordination, spatial refinement and kinetic movement Del Mar Academy encourages students to develop their observation skills and their ability to learn independently. Research has shown that the leading indicator of future success is a sense of self-assurance. It has been clearly proven that if encouraged to make decisions from a young age children become independent, free thinking problem solvers who manage their time well and become highly functional adults. Under the careful guidance of teachers the Montessori approach spurs children on to make their own choices, and to take initiative while cultivating self-respect and a sense of personal accountability.
Del Mar foresees itself becoming a beacon of modern education. Changing times call for changed approaches. We created a program that helps our students to graduate with the confidence to seize exciting new opportunities. It is our intention to equip young people with the necessary skills to face the impending challenges of adulthood.
Academy Del Sol
Academy Del Sol provides a flexible, high quality, bilingual education in an environment for children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. In addition, to the academic curriculum they focus on promoting creativity and curiosity via hands-on experiential learning. Academy Del Sol places significant emphasis on student involvement in the community. It strongly encourages its pupils to immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture and activities such as surfing and community projects. Academy Del Sol is a U.S. Accredited satellite school.
Curriculum
The curriculum covers all of the core subjects integrating Science and Social Science, study units in Language Arts, Math, Art, Music and Drama. The academic standards are aligned with both the U.S. and Costa Rica to provide a rigorous education. This year Academy del Sol will begin The Global Citizens program to give children the skillset to create more sustainable societies in harmony with nature. The course adopts project-based learning focusing on outdoor, hands-on activities. Students and community members will work together to create natural structured buildings, an organic edible garden and sustainable local business practices by applying traditional knowledge and modern perma-culture principles.
A good range of extracurricular activities including physical education, music, cooking, gardening and after school surfing are offered. Frequent field trips are taken to learn about the history, geography and culture of the local area.
Admission
The Academy del Sol website states that the following documents will be required for entry:
Transcripts from the last two years (not applicable for pre-kindergarten or kindergarten)
Results of standard or specialized testing, if requested and applicable
Two letters of recommendation – One social, One academic
A copy of the students passport and birth certificate
A copy of the child’s vaccination record
Fees
Academy Del Sol fees are based on the length of time the child is enrolled for the academic year. A five percent discount will apply if tuition fees for the full year are paid prior to the first day of the semester.
Full Day | Pre-K – Grade 6 – 10 months = $500 5 months = $600 3 months = $675
Half Day | Pre-K/K | 10 months = $370 5 months = $450 3 months = $525
Half Day | Pre-K/K | 10 months = $300 5 months = $400 3 months = $475
Family discounts apply to families with three or more children enrolled in the same academic year at HSBA or affiliate school Academy Del Sol Nosara. Third child = 10% discount. Fourth child = 15% discount. Fifth child = 20% discount
Academy Del Sol is committed to providing high standards of guided independent learning and language instruction for both visiting and permanent students. We work tirelessly to create a safe and nurturing environment, which endeavors to remain as connected to the natural environment as we are to the students who share time here with us. In addition to our set curriculum, we place a significant emphasis on guiding students to become culturally and environmentally minded citizens.
HomeSchool Beach Academy Nosara
HomeSchool Beach Academy (HSBAcademy) provides guided independent learning and Spanish language instruction for visiting middle and high school students (grades 7 – 12). Students following their own independent homeschool curriculum receive instructional oversight while visiting Costa Rica, be it for a few months or several years at a time. HSBA shares their facility and grounds with their sister school Academy del Sol Nosara.
Curriculum
The HSBA curriculum utilizes individualized study plans guided by a facilitator. This gives students the flexibility to attend classes according to their own schedule. HSBA helps arrange a wide variety of extracurricular activities that help students feel the warmth and sense of family that is integral to Costa Rican culture. Other activities outside of the program include Surf Club each Friday afternoon along with community events.
Admission
The HSBA website states that the following documents will be required for entry.
Transcripts from the last two years
A description of the curriculum the child will be studying alongside a document stating the child’s educational goals and learning objectives
Two letters of recommendation – One social, One academic
A copy of the students passport and birth certificate
A copy of the child’s vaccination record
Fees
Monthly tuition = $500. A five percent discount will apply if tuition fees for the full year are made prior to the first day of the semester
Family discounts apply to families with three or more children enrolled in the same academic year at HSBA or affiliate school Academy Del Sol Nosara. Third child = 10% discount. Fourth child = 15% discount. Fifth child = 20% discount
HSBA is committed to providing high standards of guided independent learning and language instruction for both visiting and permanent high school students (grades 7-12). The advantage to our program is that students aren’t sitting in a classroom from 8 AM-3:00 PM every day providing more opportunities for our students to experience living and learning abroad.
Casa De Las Estrellas
Located midway between Playa Guiones and Garza on the beautiful and secluded beach of Playa Rosada, Casa de las Estrellas Kindergarten has recently expanded to accommodate primary school students. Casa de las Estrellas provides an environment that encourages a child’s imagination, sense of wonder, capacity for creative play and connection to the natural world.
Curriculum
The Casa de las Estrellas curriculum has been designed to provide children with a sense of security, balance and harmony while developing their emotions, cognitive skills and conscious awareness. Daily activities include morning assemblies to connect, engage and discuss the day ahead followed by playground and beach visits. Educational activities throughout the week consist of art, creative play, preparing food, arts and crafts, drawing and painting. The week is rounded off on Friday by creating healthy treats and crafts for both the classroom and home.
Admission
Admissions for Casa de las Estrellas is for youngsters between the ages of 2.5-6 years old and is open to all. On their website it is clear that Casa de las Estrellas takes pride in its multicultural learning community. It states that a founding principle is to foster coexistence between children of different backgrounds regardless of income level. One of their fundamental principles is to promote respect of, and support for, children of different cultures and social strata. They believe an understanding of these differences is key to building equality, mutual respect and cultural assimilation.
Fees
Casa de las Estrellas has a monthly fixed fee of 200,000 colones, but families unable to meet this are not excluded and there is a range of scholarships available to families most in need. On their website Casa de las Estrellas states their belief that education based around holistic principles is the right of every child and not limited only to those whose parents can afford it.
Inspired by Waldorf educational principles Casa De las Estrellas was founded to provide daily rhythm to the lives of 2.5 to 6 year old children in an environment of security and trust. We have created a program where students of different ages work on a range of activities including gardening, cooking, sewing, knitting, woodwork, cleaning and storytelling in a fun environment. The mixed aged classes promote a strong sense of kinship which offer older children the opportunity to act as caregivers and role models. The child’s mind is nurtured and strengthened through a program of daily creative play while activities such as storytelling and art provide daily nutrition for their blossoming imaginations. Much of the day is spent outdoors appreciating and learning from the stunning surroundings and rich natural treasures of the local environment.
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