Country Day joins forces
to offer online program


The Country Day School in Costa Rica and K12International Academy have announced a partnership to offer an accredited online school program to students throughout Costa Rica.  The online private school program — a first of its kind in Costa Rica — will be called the CDS K12 International Academy.

Students who enroll in the CDS K12International Academy will have the opportunity to receive a complete education through an internationally-accredited private school that uses a curriculum developed by K12 Inc., the U.S. leader in online school programs for students in kindergarten through high school, said the Escazú-based school.   The school combines traditional, research-based curriculum approaches with 21st century innovations, such as interactivity, games, and powerful online learning platforms, according to an announcement.

The CDS K12 International Academy offers students a wide variety of courses, including core subjects, honors, advance placement, world languages, and other electives.  Students living anywhere in Costa Rica – even those located in geographically remote areas – will be able to earn a U.S. diploma through this cost-effective school option, said the school announcement.

“We are excited about our partnership with K12,” said Steve Katz, director of educational technology of The Country Day School in Costa Rica. “The future of technology at CDS focuses on promoting independent learning, differentiated instruction, and broadening students’ academic endeavors. K12 is an integral part of this plan.”

The Country Day School in Costa Rica is an American school serving an international population.  Established in 1963, the school has accreditations from Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States and Costa Rican Ministry of Education.  Each year, 100 percent of graduates are admitted to select universities and colleges, with about 90 percent going on to U.S. and Canadian universities and colleges, and 10 percent to Europe or elsewhere.  Students who attend receive an American high school diploma, and the curriculum also prepares students for the Costa Rican bachillerato examinations.

“This comprehensive online school program encompasses a rich curriculum that will meet the diverse needs of the international community here in Costa Rica,” said Gloria Doll, Country Day School director.  “Students will be able to access a myriad of courses they may not be able to otherwise which will extend and enrich their learning experiences.”

The K12International Academy is a U.S.-based private school that serves students in more than 35 countries worldwide.  The school is operated by K12 Inc., the U.S. leader in proprietary curriculum and online school programs for students in grades kindergarten through high school.   The school provides extensive, personalized support focused on each student’s individual needs using technology and experienced teachers who provide instruction, support and guidance.   The school is accredited by the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. 

High School students at Country Day School already have been enrolled in a wide variety of secondary K12 online courses this past semester, and educators there anticipate the enrollment in these virtual courses to increase in the fall, one administrator said Friday.

Boston singers suspected
in seventh-grade flu case


Some school administrators in Costa Rica suspect that a visiting group of Boston singers may have been unknowing vectors of swine flu.

As a result, one private institution, Father's Home School, closed last week for eight days and administrators say that one student, a seventh grader, is a likely swine flu victim. The Moravia institution hosted Canta Mundi, described as talented young musicians, ages 15 to 25, who believe that music, and especially choral music, can bridge oceans, people, and cultures.

About 40 of the Boston choir singers visited other schools in the area, too, under the auspices of the Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes. A Father's Home administrator said that some of the singers developed flu when they returned home.

The choir singers may be themselves the victims of a bum rap because their schedule appears to have been directly from Boston to Costa Rica and return without visits to a country like México where the swine flu was developing. In addition, the singers were here two weeks ago.

Schools are taking extra precautions after one of the first certified swine flu victims died. The Coronado man suffered from additional health problems. Three young relatives, believed infected by the man, are recovering well, said the health ministry.

Saint Clare private elementary and high school in San Juan de la Unión closed for May 4 but reopened after a sick student was adjudged not to have swine flu.

At school students are being taught basic hygiene, including hand-washing. Students say they are being taught to wash their hands while singing the birthday song or another popular melody and to continue lathering the hands until the song is finished. In the United States some schools are encouraging the use of the alphabet song.

The Ministerio de Salud went on a sweep of stores Friday seeking out products that purported to offer protection from the flu. Health workers confiscated a number of products where the advertising was excessively promising, the ministry said. They homed in on homeopathic remedies that offered "natural protection" against the flu-like diseases.

Although ministry officials did not mention it, a number of spam e-mails also are offering swine flu medications and remedies.

Health workers also are becoming nervous by the imminent arrival of the rainy season that will produce many more cases of seasonal flu.

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Weekend sweep uncovers
three marijuana fields

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

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