BULLETIN No. 30

Upcoming Dates
 

 
General
 
English Public speaking competition
On Thursday, 19^th of September, we had the annual English Public Speaking Competition. The students who participated in this competition were selected as the best in their classrooms and freely chose the topics for their speech. The judges had to decide on the winners based on organization, quality of ideas, body language and delivery skills.  We would like to congratulate all participants as well as the following winners for accepting the challenge and offering very entertaining speeches.
 
Primary Public Speaking Competition Winners
1st place – Miranda Guillén (Year 4C)
2nd place – Victoria Zamora (Year 5B)
3rd place – Josué Ortega (Year 4B)
Honourable mention: Tomás Ochoa (Year 5B)
 
Secondary Public Speaking Competition Winners
1st place – Natalie Lipschitz (Year 7C)
2nd place – Lucia Madrigal (Year 7C)
3rd place – Maria Paula Villalobos (Year 6C)
Honourable mention: Tomás Estrada (Year 6C)
 
BSCR MUN Charity Fundraiser
This year our MUN charity initiative raised a fantastic ₡ 213,000, which was donated to the National Children’s Hospital in order to purchase much needed equipment.   Please click on the following link to see a message from the organisation detailing what was purchased – MUN Charity Initiative.  We would like to thank all participating MUN and NHS students, along with supporting staff members, for organising this important fundraising effort.
 
Eco-School Project
Throughout Quarter Three, our Eco-Committee was meeting on a weekly basis to develop a focused plan aimed at increasing our sustainability focus and impact throughout the School.  After undertaking an audit of our current practices, the Eco-Committee has decided to focus on two key objectives moving forward: 1) A waste reduction programme and 2) Promoting biodiversity on campus.  Both of these objectives will be the main focus of this committee throughout the remainder of 2024.
 
Primary
 
IPC Showcase
We would like to share with our learning community a presentation that we recently submitted to the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) Conference which showcases some of the work that our Primary Students undertake here at The British School as part of our IPC Curriculum.  IPC Showcase
 
Dancing Success
We would like to congratulate Catalina Gamboa (Year 1) on her highly impressive recent dancing successes.  In addition to winning two recent competitions, Catalina has been invited to perform in Beauty and the Beast with the National Ballet at the National Theatre.  For this production, Catalina will be performing alongside professional ballerinas!  We would also like to wish Catalina the best of luck for her participation in the International Stage World Cup dance competition which is being held in Cartagena, Colombia. Photo / Photo
 
Primary House Competition – Quarter 3 Champions
Following on from the respective successes of Barva in Quarter 1 and Poás in Quarter 2, Irazú managed to claim the spoils in Quarter 3. Pictured are Scarlett Paradis (Captain) and Samuel Martinez (Vice-Captain) proudly displaying the House trophy. Photo
 
Year 6 Secondary Induction Fair and Meeting
We would like to invite all current Year 5 parents to a Secondary induction meeting and fair on Tuesday the 22^nd of October between 8:10am and 10:10am.  The meeting will consist of two parts: the first part will be a general presentation about the Secondary School while the second part will provide Year 5 parents with an opportunity to speak with teachers from each of our Secondary Departments so they can learn about our curriculum and assessment approaches.
 
Secondary
 
Bowling Champion
We would like to congratulate Antonio Trejos (Year 9) on his recent performance at the Pan-American Youth Festival held in Guatemala (Photo).  Antonio, who participated in the Under 21 category despite being only 15 years old, competed against bowlers from Peru, Guatemala, Colombia and the Dominican Republic achieving the following results: 

• Gold medal in the Masters Final (U21 – male category)
• Bronze medal in the All Event (U21 – male category)
• Bronze medal in the Double’s Event (U21 – male category) 

Year 11 National Baccalaureate Talks
Last Friday, September 20th, the Year 11 NB students had their chance to share with the school community their ideas and the issues they care about. We saw quite a range of topics and confident delivery of their speeches, turning it into a very special morning for everybody. The English Department would like to congratulate all Year 11 NB students for all their hard work in preparing their speeches and the motivation to do their very best at communicating with the audience.
 
Swimming Success
We would like to congratulate Luciana and Matias Castro on their performance at the Caribe Green Festival held in Manzanillo, Limon last weekend.  Luciana finished 2nd in the 1.5 kilometres race (12 to 14 year old category) with a time of 27 minutes and 17 seconds while Matias finished 1st in the 3 kilometres race (15 to 17 year old category) with a time of 39 minutes and 14 seconds. Photo / Photo
 
PSAT 2024 – For Year 10 and Year 11 students only
The PSAT/NMSQT is the digital pre-SAT exam or practice test for the SAT; a test widely used for university admissions in the USA and other countries. The test measures knowledge and skills in reading, writing and maths that students learn in the classroom and which they need to succeed in college and a career.   The exam will be on Saturday, October 26 at 7:45 at the school Auditorium. The deadline to register is Friday, October 11th The cost of the exam is 22,000 colones. To register your student there are two payment options:
 
1- Sinpe 8782-2796 The British School of Costa Rica
2- Wire Transfer (Transferencia Bancaria):
 
COLEGIO BRITANICO DE COSTA RICA SOCIEDAD ANONIMA
Céd 3-101-047574
Cta Iban Colones:  CR32010400000118030119
Banco Davivienda
 
The wire transfer or SINPE payment should include the name of the student and PSAT in the payment detail. A copy of the wire transfer or SINPE should be sent to smadriz@bscr.ed.cr. If this information is not received, the payment cannot be processed.  If you have any questions please contact Ana Lourdes Baumgartner at abaumgartner@bscr.ed.cr at 2220-0131 ext.171
 
University Fair and Visits
On Thursday, October 3rd, our Year 11 and Year 12 students had the opportunity to participate in the Lincoln School College Fair, which brought together representatives from more than 75 universities from around the world.  Additionally, we hosted visits from representatives of several prestigious universities, including Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Pomona College, and Bentley University from the United States, as well as Constructor University from Germany. Year 9 to 12 students were invited to attend these presentations, which are valuable opportunities to learn more about the academic programs, campus life, financial aid, and application processes at these institutions.  These events provide our students with insights that help them make informed decisions about their future educational pathways.
 
Debate at SEK School
Last Monday September 30th, eight of our students participated in a round-table debate hosted by SEK International School to discuss the topic of the reelection of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The British School emerged victorious in the overall debate, and achieved various awards:  

• Best Delegate: Leonardo Jiménez (Y11)
• Honorable mention: Cristel Haaversen and Roberto Zúñiga (Y11)
• Verbal mention: Rania Canales (Y11) 

We would also like to recognise the valuable participation of Gabriela Martínez and Lucía Herrero (Y9) as well as Diego Víquez (Y11) and Ankit Patel (Y12) in representing the school in this enriching event.