BULLETIN No. 35 – 10th of November 2023

 
Upcoming Dates
 

 
General
 
Leadership Team Update
As we approach the end of the 2023 academic year, we would like to provide you with a Leadership Team update for 2024.  After four years at the British School, Mr. Mark Evans, our Head of Primary and Early Years will be leaving us to embark on his next adventure.  Mr. Evans joined us three months before the Covid-19 pandemic began and he successfully led our Primary School through some very demanding times, as we successfully negotiated the various challenges that the pandemic presented.  Mr. Evans has also been responsible for introducing a number of wonderful initiatives into our Primary School including our Public Speaking Competition, various House Competitions, including the Flash Mob Dances, and the re-introduction of our Primary Talent Show!  We will also be saying a sad goodbye at the end of this year to our Head of Secondary, Mr. Roberto Pfizenmaier, as his family is relocating to the USA on account of his wife’s work commitments.  Although Mr. Pfizenmaier has only been with us for a short period, he has had a very positive impact on our Secondary section.  Our Learning Community will greatly miss both Mr. Evans and Mr. Pfizenmaier next year and we express our gratitude for everything that they have done in service of our students and School Community during their time with us.
 
In light of the above, we would like to share with our Community that we have appointed Mr. Gary Mallon to the position of Head of Primary, starting in January of 2024, and he will assume the responsibilities that Mr. Evans currently has.  Mr. Mallon, who is British by birth, is currently the Head of Primary at The British School of Montevideo, Uruguay and has also held headships in Panama, Dubai and Chile.
 
We are also pleased to announce that we have appointed Ms. Cleo Vásquez to the position of Head of Secondary starting in January of 2024.  Teacher Cleo joined the British School in 2003 and has served as our Deputy Head of Secondary since 2012.  Alongside Teacher Cleo, we have also appointed Mr. Gareth Jones to the position of Deputy Head of Secondary.  Mr. Jones has served as our Head of the Science Department since 2017.  We extend our congratulations to both Ms. Vásquez and Mr. Jones and wish them the best of luck with their new responsibilities.
 
Primary
 
End of Year Celebrations
As the end of the School year rapidly approaches, our students in Early Years 3 and Year 5 have been busily preparing for their “Crossing Over” and Graduation ceremonies which will take place in the coming weeks.  We look forward to celebrating them completing another section of their education in the coming weeks.
 
Children’s Museum Visit – Year 4
This week Year 4 visited the “Children’s Museum” in San José as part of their study of their theme study of the Solar System.   This was a wonderful learning experience that all of the students enjoyed.
 
Secondary
 
Spanish Spelling Bee
We would like to congratulate the following finalists on qualifying for the Spelling Bee Grand Final that will take place on Wednesday 22^nd November. The qualifying rounds were very close and several qualifying rounds were necessary:
 

External Examinations
Next week, our students will have completed all of the external examinations for the 2023 academic year.  This includes exams for IB, IGCSE, and MEP Year 6 and Year 11NB. We would like to congratulate all of the students who took exams in the last month. You all made a great effort and we look forward to you receiving the results that your efforts deserve.
 
Model United Nations – Pan-American School
This week, a group of 11 students will represent our school in the Pan-American School Model United Nations. This is a great opportunity for our students to engage with students from different schools, share ideas and show their skills. We wish them great success.
 
SAT Exams – 2nd of December
The next SAT will be on Saturday 2^nd of December at the school. The registration deadline is Friday 17^th of November.  The test costs $103 and should be paid online.  2024 test dates and deadlines are listed in the following link: International SAT Dates. The test is now digital and students can use their own computers and Ipads.  We recommend that students who register for the first time to take this test coordinate a meeting with Ana Lourdes Baumgartner, University Counsellor to complete the registration procedure.
 
The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized test, administered by The College Board, that many universities around the world, but especially in the United States, take into consideration as either a requirement or as an optional part of the university application process.  Should you have any question please contact Ana Lourdes at abaumgartner@bscr.ed.cr. SAT Practice and Preparation Information