If you are like many families planning to move to Costa Rica with children, you are a little bewildered with the number of choices and lack of information about all of the schools here.

Luckily, your decision can be narrowed down to a handful of quality choices quite easily.  Public schools and schools at the beach are generally the first options to be eliminated, since they tend to have fewer resources and offer less academic challenge than schools in the Central Valley.  Also, most schools start their school year in February and end in November.  In general, only international American schools offer a North American academic calendar. 

The accreditations held by a school are the next consideration.  All schools in Costa Rica must be accredited by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP).  However, to facilitate your child’s acceptance into universities outside of Costa Rica, look for a school that is also accredited by a U.S. accrediting agency.  

These schools offer the majority of instruction in English, with a Spanish language and literature program for native speakers.  Marian Baker School is accredited by the Advanc-Ed Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS CASI), is run on a North American calendar, and offers Spanish classes for beginners.  Eliminating schools with no international accreditations leaves a more manageable list of private schools in the San José area.

From the remaining schools, most parents are looking for a place where their children will be happy, where they can grow academically, socially, and emotionally, and where they will have the best opportunities available to them in the future.  Marian Baker School (MBS) offers everything you could need in an international school.  

Besides offering a Spanish program for native English speakers, the philosophy focuses on individual attention and providing differentiated instruction.  With approximately 200 students from preschool to 12th grade, the small school setting builds confidence and provides students with numerous leadership and community building opportunities.  

According to Jennifer Dahlager, the 2013-2014 Parent Association President, “The most important thing to me about MBS is the positive family atmosphere with excellent education. My kids are very happy.  I have the peace of mind knowing that when we go back to the States or when they go to college, they will be academically prepared and excel wherever they go.” 

Students corroborate Jennifer’s sentiments.  When current students see MBS graduates excelling at universities in the States, they feel confident that the classes they are enrolled in truly are challenging and will prepare them for the future.  In fact, students typically list the teachers, their friends, and the fun and challenging classes as their favorite things about MBS.

In an e-mail correspondence with Jennifer, she emphasizes that the social atmosphere at MBS is very healthy and family-orientated.  Students regularly stay after school for extra-curricular clubs, to get help from their teachers, to participate in or watch intermural sports, to work on Student Council initiatives, to attend a school dance, or to finish class projects with their classmates.  They will even come in on weekends to perform in a school play, take an SAT test, or paint paw prints on the school sidewalk.  Students enjoy coming to school here. 

Parents likewise have enjoyed being a part of the Marian Baker School community for the past 30 years.  The Parent Association is very dedicated and always has projects on the go, whether it’s cooking turkeys for Thanksgiving, painting backdrops for the school play, or fundraising to build a deck for the lunch area.  

The parents make MBS a truly special place by investing a great deal of time and resources in school activities.  The PA encourages all parents to be involved, and represents a great way for families that are new to Costa Rica to make friends and acquaintances. 

The administration and teachers make parents and students feel at home. Jennifer asserts, “Bonnie and Linda (the owners and directors) take care of our kids as if they were their own. [They are] incredibly approachable and always striving for excellence.  They are like aunts or grandmas to the kids.” 

This genuine care for the welfare of the students is a product of the long-term commitment of highly qualified staff and the amount of attention teachers can give to each child.  The low student-to-teacher ratio also fosters a relationship where students feel safe asking for guidance from their teachers.  Each teacher gets to know the students very well, since there is a maximum class size of 20 students.  

Teachers are able to customize their lessons to the students and differentiate for each student’s needs.  Students value MBS and their teachers so much that many students continue to return to the school to participate in special activities or visit their teachers for years after they graduate.

In addition to a nurturing atmosphere, MBS follows a North American academic schedule and provides state-of-the-art facilities and resources for students and teachers.  MBS strives to integrate technology at all levels, and more than half of the classrooms have interactive whiteboards.  Teachers can also arrange to have students use school iPads in their classrooms and take advantage of the plethora of educational apps available.  

Teachers also utilize an on-line program to post grades frequently and communicate information about schedules, quizzes, tests, and field trips to parents.  MBS offers a large variety of classes, including all of the core academic classes, drama, art, music, technology, yoga (in preschool), values, AP classes, SAT prep, Wildcat Park, writing, and more.  Students in high school have the opportunity to participate in international conferences and sports tournaments each year.  There are two up-to-date science labs, a large library, a large gym and stage area, a computer lab, and extensive well-kept green areas.

Please contact us if you are interested in more information or having a tour of the school.  E-mail the current admissions officer, Allison Quirós or, visit our Marian Baker School website here.

Come discover how a small and authentic school can make all the difference for your entire family.

Please see how to promote your school on WeLoveCostaRica.com for only $97 per month here.

If you are serious about buying or renting a home in this area west of San Jose and would like to hire an experienced real estate professional who can point out the best private schools to you then, then please telephone our Recommended Realtor Mayra Clavería de Oliver on 506 8893-6262 or, contact Mayra using the simple form below:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.