BULLETIN No.17

Upcoming Dates
 

 
General
 
Cognitive Science Workshop for Staff
During the recent Staff Training Day, Early Years, Primary and Secondary staff took part in a thought-provoking and interactive workshop (both in English and Spanish) that focused on the role of the brain in learning and the connection it has with energy levels and emotions. The session led by Suzy Robertson and Daniel Madrigal from McKinsey & Company, Costa Rica provided many talking points for further reflection in terms of how our students learn. Thank you Suzy and Daniel for a fantastic session! Photo / Photo / Photo
 
Thursday 5th June – Eco Day
 
Next Thursday our Learning Community will be celebrating Eco Day with several activities including:
 
– inviting all members of our community to come to school dressed in green clothing as a demonstration of the BSCR’s commitment to environmental sustainability
– promoting this Thursday as a ‘No Trash Day’ by encouraging community members to only use reusable containers on this day (i.e. no single-use plastics)
 
Early Years and Primary
 
Dance Success
Catalina Gamboa (Year 2B) recently won the Platinum medal for her contemporary solo, which placed her among the best in her category during a recent dance event held in Mexico City. She also won gold medals in both the jazz and contemporary groups, placing her overall in the Top 10 of all participants.  As a result of her performances Catalina auditioned, and won, a scholarship to participate in another event in July in Mexico City. Congratulations Catalina! Photo / Photo
 
Gold Medal in Taekwondo
Congratulations to Emma Castro (Year 2A) who recently participated in a Taekwondo tournament gaining a gold medal in her category. We are very proud of you Emma! Photo / Photo
 
Gymnastics Success
Congratulations to Alexa Martinez (Year 4B) who last weekend participated in a gymnastics event placing first in her overall category as a result of winning several individual disciplines. We are very proud of you Alexa! Photo / Photo
 
Fair Play
This week, we had a very special assembly dedicated to the value of fair play in sports. We were honored to have the participation of two highly esteemed members of our learning community: FIFA referee Jesús Montero and former National Team player, Bryan Ruiz. Both shared their valuable experiences and insights on the importance of respect, honesty, and fair play both on and off the field. It was an enriching experience that inspired our students to live out sporting values in their daily lives and to understand that true greatness goes beyond the final score. Photo / Photo
 
Dance Academy Success
Natalia Arrieta Aguilar (Year 4C) recently participated in the annual presentation of her dancing academy, Jazzgoba. It was the first time they hosted the show at Teatro Nacional and proved to be a wonderful experience for her over the course of 3 days. Photo / Photo
 
Secondary
 
BSCR Graduate Presentation on Overseas University Applications
On Friday of last week, we welcomed Nicole Lipschitz, from our 2023 IB generation, back on to campus to speak with our senior students.  Nicole shared her perspectives and various practical tips with our students regarding applying to overseas universities.  Photo / Photo
 
Video Conference with Vietnam war veteran
The English Department organized a video conference last Thursday, May 22nd with a Vietnam War veteran, Mr George Keller, father of Ms. Castillo in the English Department.   He met with Year 12 students who have been studying the novel “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brian for their IB English course.  This was a unique opportunity to find out more about someone’s personal experience of a historical moment in time.
 
Association for the development of badminton
Over the weekend of 24th and 25th June, Mattia Rojas and Mathias Ugalde took part in the first tournament organised by the badminton federation to help promote and develop badminton in Costa Rica. Representing the BSCR, Mattia and Mathias competed in the U17 doubles category. In a round robin format, they won one match and lost the other. A huge congratulations to them both for their first ever doubles match against players who play on a regular basis. In addition, Mr Berridge and Mr Patel played in the Masters 40 doubles category. Well done to them too as this was the first time they had played competitively in over 30 years. A big thanks goes to Daniel Guerrero for his help and guidance and Ankit Patel for helping with the coaching.
 
Art and French Trip – Summer, 2026
We are pleased to announce that the Art and French Departments are organizing an exciting trip to London and Paris in July 2026 for students in years 10, 11, and 12 of these programs.  The main objectives of this trip are cultural enrichment and practicing the French and English languages. Students will have the opportunity to explore the rich heritage of both countries, visit iconic landmarks, taste delicious local cuisine, and for those passionate about art, visit world-renowned museums such as the Tate Gallery, the  Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, which house works by some of the most influential artists in history. It will be an opportunity for the Art and French students to experience first-hand the unique cultural aspects of these very two different cities that will be beneficial to their studies at the British School.
 
The approximate dates for the trip are from the 5^th to the 16^th of July 2026 and during this time in Paris we will experience the wonderful National Day celebrations in France commemorating the Storming of the Bastille. For further details, please contact the French Department (tcalderon@bscr.ed.cr) or Art Department (rhaigh@bscr.ed.cr) before the end of the 2^nd Quarter.
 
Chess Tournament
We would like to invite all Secondary students and staff members who play chess to sign up for our annual chess tournament, which will start on the 21st of July.  Please click on the following enrollment link if you are interested in participating – Enrollment Form.  Please note that there are only 10 spaces available, so we advise interested players to enroll as soon as possible if they want to guarantee their place in the tournament.
 
PanAmerican Girls Math Olympiad (PAGMO)
We are proud to announce that Luisa Rodriguez (Year 9) has qualified to participate in the PanAmerican Girls Math Olympiad (PAGMO), which will take place in Brazil. This outstanding achievement is a testament to her talent, dedication, and passion for mathematics. We wish her the very best in this exciting international competition! 
 
Duke of Edinburgh
Over the past two weekends, 40 students from Years 10 and 11 have successfully completed the Adventurous Journey component of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. The expeditions included hiking, pitching tents, and cooking substantial meals. All participants demonstrated teamwork, sound decision-making and resilience—core skills that the Award is designed to develop in young people.  Please see our social media pages for photos. All Year 9 students will have the opportunity to enroll in the Bronze Award programme this week.
 
Literary Contest
Last Friday, May 23rd, we had the pleasure of attending the awards ceremony for the “Anne Frank Literary Contest,” organized by the Dr. Jaim Weizman Institute. The Spanish Department would like to congratulate students Cristina Zúñiga, Natalie Lipschitz, and Salvador Ruíz for their participation. We are also thrilled to announce that Cristina Zúñiga won third place and Natalie Lipschitz received an honorable mention. We are deeply grateful to all participants for being part of this literary experience and hope to see even more talent in future editions. Photo