Secondary Program at CDSG

Secondary (grades 7-12) curriculum is based on that of typical U.S. public and independent schools. The school draws on regional U.S. and international Standards of Learning in organizing curriculum and planning the content of specific courses. The intent is to make moves into CDSG and back to the U.S. or other international American Schools as smooth as possible.

The school day consists of six 55 minute periods and two breaks, one in mid morning and one at mid day for lunch. The day begins at 7:30 with homeroom by grade levels and ends at 2:30, followed by after school sports and activities. Occasionally special schedules are followed to allow for assemblies and other special activities.

Off campus field trips and over night outings are a regular part of the program. Generally these are planned to extend the curriculum to take advantage of our natural setting in Costa Rica. Community service is a regular feature of the program at every grade level, culminating in the required individual Senior Project in grade 12.

The entire campus is a WiFi zone for wireless Internet. Most students bring laptops to school. A computer lab is also located in the Secondary building. The Secondary science program is supported by a fully equipped lab for biology, chemistry, and physics. The school library includes general research materials and books and periodicals for leisure reading.

Electives are offered by each academic area and include art and drama. Advanced Placement courses are offered each year, depending on student interest and need. These include English literature, Calculus, US history, comparative government, Spanish language and literature, human geography, and others. Several advanced or honors science courses are offered including human anatomy and physiology and environment science and marine biology.

After school sports include boys and girls teams in basketball, soccer football, volleyball, complemented by teams for swimming and many other after school activities.

Other activities include yearbook, newspaper, drama groups, student government, a chapter of the U.S. National Honor Society, and various social service and ecological groups such as Roots and Shoots.

The school is a center of social and cultural events for our community, and visiting performers, artists, and speakers are featured each year. In the past year, these have included dance and band concerts, drama, Costa Rican cultural shows and internationally known speakers including Dr. Jane Goodall, famed research scientist working with chimpanzees.

Grading Scale:

Minimum High School Graduation Requirements:

Courses Required for Graduation:

Costa Rican Baccalaureate Program: