Annual Report - La Paz School

Transcription

La Paz Community School
Annual Report 2015
A N N U A L
R E P O R T
Brasilito - Guanacaste - Costa Rica
2 013 - 2 014
Annual Report 2013-2014
Mission Statement
Our mission is to educate the culturally diverse youth of Guanacaste through bilingual
experiential learning and enrichment that integrates the local community and ecology, while
preparing students to become thoughtful, creative, and active stewards of their environment
and future leaders of the world.
Objectives
To form an educational cooperative that integrates the members of a community in creating
a collective, bilingual learning environment.
To implement meaningful service learning that empowers students to become active
stewards of their environment.
To develop skills and nurture values that cultivate the well-being of self, family, community,
and world.
To emphasize place-based, experiential learning and discovery.
To uphold high academic standards through authentic assessment and grade level
benchmarks.
2
To inculcate in all community members a genuine appreciation for and involvement in
nature, the arts, and physical education.
From the Director´s Desk
Abel McClennen
What is our hope for La Paz students?
This graphic, shared with me by a fellow colleague, immediately
caught my attention because it captures the definition of purpose
that we are attempting to teach our students at La Paz. Our
student body, representing a diverse range of socioeconomic and
cultural backgrounds, is a product of a positively globalized planet
where intercultural discourse is embraced so that we may all learn
from and respect one another’s differences in order to improve our
planet.
La Paz students are taught to be selfdisciplined, life-long learners who possess
determination, endurance, cross-cultural
competence and the life skills necessary to
identify and pursue their passions while
living with a sense of purpose that balances
worldly needs with personal goals.
Our
eighteen La Paz Graduates from the first three
generations embody the ideals we instill in our
students through our Peace Practices, the IB
Community Learner Profile and our Place-Based
Dual Immersion educational program. These
alumni have headed down diverse paths that
include studying tourism at the local Universidad
Latina, business and social work at the
Universidad de Costa Rica, aeronautical
engineering at Antelope Valley College in
California, applied language studies at La
Sorbonne University in France and systems
engineering at Stenden University in Holland.
Others have embraced their inner entrepreneur
by becoming private boutique surf and scuba
instructors.
While many of the career and university paths
above seem clearly defined, they are the result
of a challenging exploratory process that
involves learning from both successes and
failures. This search is best exemplified through
the reflections of one of our seven firstgeneration IB graduates from the class of 2015
who is about to embark on her own life journey.
Abel McClennen
Director
“When I think of a role model, or a family, I
honestly think of this school. It has left a very
clear mark on my heart. I know there have
been rough times, as with any situation that
pushes for growth, but they were all very
much worth the discomfort, since now I will
soon have the gift of calling myself a La Paz
Community School Graduate; I hold this
magical place dearly within me.
These past 5 and a half years attending La
Paz have been completely life changing, and
I mean it in the least cliché way possible.
Your school, and now mine as well, has
presented me with the most amazing life
lessons, from compassion,empathy and
kindness to appreciation and thoughtfulness,
and I am truly grateful for that.
As for my plans for the future; as you know,
the future will always be undefined and
unpredictable, but what I can tell you with
certainty is that mine will never lack
inspiration.”
Koral’s selfproclaimed life path
over the next few
years will take her to a
horse farm in Holland,
to a vegan catering
service in New York
City, to Ayurvedic
studies in India.
Koral Coopwood - Class of 2015
3
Martyn Hoffmann
Martyn and his son Dylan
Board President
It’s been an exciting year to be part of La Paz Community School as a
parent, community member and as your Board President. Working with
our talented Board of Directors, tireless administrative staff and
passionate teachers is an honor and a humbling experience. Whenever I walk
through the school’s campus the energy, sense of contentment and level of comfort and security
exhibited by our students is contagious. This year, our school has reached a new level of maturity and
sustainability in many fundamental ways. Here are the highlights that I’d like to share with you.
New Campus: Thanks to the commitment of our parents and donors, one year ago we raised close to
$400,000 in under two months to fund construction of Phase 2 of the school campus, which we
completed in September. The results of this achievement have been incredible, as every parent who
visits the school can attest. Our focus now shifts to raising an additional $400,000 over the next several
years to build the Pre-K through 3rd Grade phase which will finally unite the entire school campus in one
amazing location.
Stabilized Growth: In 2015, La Paz has nearly reached its capacity of approximately 300 students.
Since its founding, La Paz has grown at double-digit rates, and this year is significant in that we have
finally reached a point where we can stabilize our growth and focus on quality, diversification and student
retention.
Parent and Community Involvement: So far this year, our parents have volunteered over 10,000 hours
of their personal time to supporting La Paz. Whether it’s substitute teaching, running the library, coaching
sports or organizing the increasingly popular Wednesday Organic Farmer’s Market, our parents are more
engaged than ever and their contribution to the culture at La Paz is priceless. We are incredibly blessed
to have such a rich, diverse and giving community of families at La Paz.
Debt Reduction: La Paz continues to aggressively pay down capital debt associated with the school
facility construction, and I am pleased to report that we are on track to retiring 24% of our total financial
debt by the end of the 2014-2015 Budget year! IB Program: This year marks our first graduating class of IB Diploma students! What a milestone for
these seven talented students as well as for La Paz. We are incredibly proud of each of them!
Scholarship Program Fundraising: This past year La Paz saw its most dramatic increase in annual
fundraising ever. Last year we changed our approach to how we communicate with donors, and we have
connected many of them directly to our Scholarship students so that they can see the impact of their
donations on the lives of the individual students they sponsor. This program is working, and it shows in
our Sponsors’ renewed commitment to the Scholarship program. During the past twelve months, (since
May 2014), we have raised over $207,000 towards the program! La Paz Community School has succeeded thanks to the community comprised of our families,
students, and staff. Without you, these successes would not be possible. Thank you for making
La Paz a thriving, energetic, and successful school that makes me extremely proud!
Martyn Hoffmann
Board President 4
Evan Upchurch
Alumni-2013
La Paz Alumni are Choosing the Road Less Traveled
"I came to France thinking that I was going to find my place right away, and quite the opposite
happened. The American University of Paris was a good gateway but not representative of what
I was looking for, which is why I only stayed 1 semester. I soon enrolled in the Cours de
Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne - language school - to perfect my French (considering I
spoke no French when I moved to Paris). Through my coursework, I fell deeper in love with the
French language and soon after, I became set on going to the Sorbonne to be a language
major. After a lot of stress, tears, and paperwork, in March of 2015, I was accepted into the
Sorbonne (a year and a half after my arrival in Paris), meeting all language requirements
(listening, writing, grammar, speaking). I will start my undergraduate degree (Applied Foreign
Languages) in Sept. of 2015.¨ Evan.
University Matriculation
La Paz by the numbers
25
Full-Time teaching staff
7
Part-Time teaching staff
16
Teachers with a Masters or PhD
Since 2013 La Paz has graduated 18
seniors who already are making an
impact on the world through diverse
life paths. The following colleges and
universities have accepted La Paz
Students into their programs.
Costa Rica:
University of Costa Rica
(Liberia and San Jose)
Universidad Latina (Santa Cruz)
United States:
288
__________
Students for
2014-2015 - a 34%
increase over
2013-2014
31%
__________
Percentage of
students on full or
partial subsidies
Antelope Valley College (CA)
University of Florida (FL)
University of Colorado (CO)
Northeastern University (MA)
University of Denver (CO)
Allegheny College (PA)
Rutgers University (NJ)
St. John's University (NY)
Europe:
Stenden University School of
Engineering (Holland)
The Sorbonne (France)
American University of Paris (France)
Franklin University (Switzerland)
Other:
Xavier School of Medicine (Aruba)
5
Sarah Starkey
Non-profit Development Director
The 2013-2014 school year was a watershed for the development of La Paz Community
School. We broke ground and completed Phase 2 of the Master Development Plan, (the New
Elementary School Pod), resulting in the creation of 100% more classroom space at La Paz
South to accommodate our rapidly growing student body. Additionally, we expanded enrollment
in the Scholarship program to accommodate more talented students from the community. Our
generous donors catalyzed these exciting achievements, and their commitment to La Paz’s
mission was reflected in their giving levels.
Fundraising was an “all hands on deck” effort, with the entire La Paz community - parents,
staff, students and others - contributing through programs such as Students Sponsoring
Students, the Tennis Marathon, Ruta La Paz and Amigos de la Educaćion, to name a few.
These efforts supplemented numerous generous individual gifts.
Student - Sponsor connections: With the help of some very passionate parents, we initiated
a program to connect interested donors directly to Scholarship students, resulting in eight
students becoming sponsored during the year. Committed sponsors receive regular progress
updates, personalized letters and the opportunity to interact directly with their students.
Giving was not restricted to cash: Notably, fundraising volunteers gave valuable time and
energy, and others donated essential materials such as solar panels that have already saved La
Paz thousands of dollars in energy costs!
Total giving:
For the twelve months from
September 1, 2013 through August 31, 2014,
cash and in-kind gifts reached $268,000.
2014-2015 update: As of April 2015 we have 35
students in the Scholarship Program
representing 12% of the student body. We are
pleased to report that 21 Scholarship students
now have personal sponsors and we continue
to seek sponsors for the remaining 14.
Projected total fundraising for all Programs
for the current school year should amount to
around $175,000. Our goal is to cover 100% of
Scholarship costs with non-operating funds and we are exploring all avenues to make this
happen.
We wish to extend our warmest gratitude to all those who have given their time, money, heart
and soul to La Paz this past year and we thank you for entrusting us with stewardship of your
generous gifts!
Sarah Starkey
Non-Profit Director 6
Finances
7
Student Profile
Camila
IB Student - 2015
Camila has been at La Paz for six years.
Due to her consistent participation, desire
to learn, creativity and responsibility she
has emerged as a student leader. Camila
has shown that with effort and dedication,
dreams are achieved. During her years at
La Paz Community School, Cami la has
participated in various groups that have
enhanced the student community, including
Students Sponsoring Students, Yearbook,
Student Government, and she capped this
“The IB gives students the opportunity to
express themselves and follow their passions
while being guided by set rubrics for the
different Internal and External Assessments.
For example for my math IA, I choose to study
how math is involved with dance, one of my
passions.
Learning how to manage stress was harder
than any assignment because many times we
had so much work to do that I didn’t know
where to start and it seemed liked my “TO DO”
list didn’t actually get shorter until my last
trimester.
off with a summer study abroad science
program at Allegheny College where she
raised funds so that local students could
travel to the United States for this unique
experience. We will all miss her dearly but
are eager to see her light shine brightly in
her post-secondary years.
Camila has been accepted to St. John’s
University (New York), the University of
Denver, the Xavier University School of
Medicine in Aruba and Franklin
University in Switzerland. We wish her
the best!
It was difficult to manage time to do my
Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) project
because I had to do it on my own free time and
include it in my schedule, which already was
really packed. However when I was really
enjoying my CAS project, I would stop
everything else just to work on it. For example I
would spend entire afternoons sending emails
to organize different fundraisers for the Creek
Camp Scholarship Fund or for the Yearbook.”
Camila Arguedas
8
Student Profile
Bianca
1st grade student
Bianca Contreras is a first grader who was selected for a
scholarship from a strong pool of highly qualified applicants in
August 2015. She stood out as an outgoing, eager learner with
strong family support. Bianca’s family has deep historical roots in
the Potrero community where she lives with her parents in a oneroom wooden house with a tin roof near the village center. Her father descends from the Moreno
family who were Potrero’s original settlers. He makes his living driving cattle from pasture to
pasture and helping the owners sell their steer at the local “subastas” (auctions). Bianca's
mother is originally from the city of Alajuela in the central valley of Costa Rica and moved to
Guanacaste seven years ago due to her fascination with the beach and Guanacasteco culture.
Bianca’s strong spirit shows in her passion for horse riding; she is an avid rider and particularly
enjoys participating in the local traditional “Topes” (horse parades) where she can be found
riding proudly for all to see. She also loves to dance and earns high marks in Physical
Education. While Bianca spoke no English when she arrived at La Paz, after just five months,
through grit and determination, she has achieved a conversational level of English. She is a
fast learner who is praised by her teachers for her strong work ethic, meticulousness, positive
attitude, dynamism, and for her care for her classmates and the greater community.
Bianca perfectly embodies the La Paz Scholarship program; she is a talented, motivated
student who can reach her full potential within the rich learning environment that La Paz offers,
and evolve into a future leader in her fast-growing community and beyond. Bianca is one of our
Scholarship students who does not yet have a sponsor - her costs are heavily subsidized by the
School. We are very fortunate to have her in the program and would love to see her benefit
from a personal connection to one or more sponsors! 9
Master Development Plan
ZONA
3
ZONA VERDE
40.54
CALLE 1
14.86
102°21'36"
102°13'48"
2.60
2 hect
ares
86.42
SOCCER FIELD
45X90 METROS
17°24'00"
CAFETERIA
$300,000
Gym + Pool
DE
O
NTA
PLA AMIENT
T
TRA
GYMNASIUM
PREK-2
PARKING LOT
8
9
2
16
10
3
11
12"
1
PREK-2
7
13
14
55.2
15
20
296°13'
21
Phase 1 - Oﬃce and Pod 1 (7th-12th grade)
= $740K COMPLETE!
PREK-2
1
30
4
29
5
28
12
27
6
26
18
25
19
24
17
Land Acquisition of 2.6 Hectares =
$1,5M COMPLETE!
23
22
The consummation of a generous 2.6
hectare land donation by the Mar Vista
Development has driven us to look ahead
towards the completion of the La Paz
Master Development Plan. Over the past
four years, we have accrued over $3M in
assets, including in-kind donations, land
donations, financial donations and
financing to complete the first 75% of the
estimated $4M Master Plan. Our goal in
the upcoming year is to raise the
remaining 25% of the funding necessary
to complete the build out which includes
a variety of projects that will transform an
already awe-inspiring campus into a
m a g n i fi c e n t l y d e s i g n e d l e a r n i n g
laboratory to serve many generations to
come.
Phase 2 - Showers, Locker Room, Soccer
Field and Pod 2 (3rd-6th grade) = $520K
COMPLETE!
LIBRARY
31
DROP OFF
0
5 10 15 20 25 m
PLANTA DE CONJUNTO
10
0°29
'1
43
.2 49 9"
J
u
e
g
CALLE 1 o
s
10
10 0
p 23
3
ZONA VERDE
VERDE
8.5
8.5
60.24
102°09'36"
24.93
45.63
1-10
102°01'12"
1-9
102°22'12"
19.84
9.86
102°15'36"
102°02'24"
1-8
1-7
1-6
1-A
1-5
1-4
1-3
closet
1-1
12.31
1-2
201°18'00"
1-B
21.33m
1-A
closet
1-B
1-C
bodega
1-D
FRUIT TREES
casilleros
closet
1-C
1-D
bodega
1-D1
19m
1-E
showers
I
n
f
a
n
t
1-F
i
1-G
VESTIDORES
escala
1:50
l
e
s
1-H
PHYSICS LAB
1-I
1-k
$150,000
1-J
1-4
Science Laboratories
1-3
1-2
1-1
19m
$100,000
Guanacaste Cafe
VIVERO AND PLATANOS
CHICKEN AREA
34.5m
PATIO
19m
PIG AREA
B8
B7
B6
BA
A2
B5
B2
PA
PA
B4 B3
A2
3
B1
PA
A2
BA
AULA
62,28 m2
AREA MULTIUSO
BODEGA
COVER
PLAYGROUND
SS
MUJERES
8,47 m2
SS
HOMBRES
AULA
62,28 m2
SALA DE
PROFESO
RES
30,18 m2
POD "B"
Music/Art
BB
B8
B7
MUSIC ROOM
9'48"
153.9
9
B6
B5
34.5m
$150,000
BB
BC
202°1
BC
B4
BD
AULA
62,28 m2
19m
62,00 m2
AMPITHEATRE
4
BD
BE
$400,000
ART STUDIO
BE
AREA MULTIUSO
62,00 m2
34.5m
BF
PreK-2nd
AULA
62,28 m2
BF
BG
19m
BG
PREK-2
BH
pend 10%
PREK-2
B3
BH
5
B2
B1
OFFICE
SPACE
DROP OFF
34.5m
"
30
9°15
'00
6.6
"
5
14
20m
PARKING LOT
31
13
12
25
9
22
10
23
11
24
27
28
29
30
8
21
6
5
7
4
20m
7
20
18
33
34
17
0"
3
35
°15
'00
"
39.
77
2
301
38.75m
1
7'0
30.15m
15
6
6
16
44
302°2
19
32
42
5°0
6'0
0"
25
.53
43
30
31
41
48
40
47
9°36
'00
22
"
.33
39
30
38
46
37
45
26
36
0°05
'2
5.92 4"
49
6
'48
50
9°28
51
30
11
Board of Directors
Title
Name
President
Martyn Hoffmann (2009)
Vice President
Gerardo Brenes (2007)
Secretary
Marcela Fernandez (2014)
Treasurer
Christian Desmond Fautz (2009)
Vocal
Brian Patrick Crites (2007)
Vocal
Ashley Javogue (2009)
Vocal
Julia Berry (2009)
Vocal
Rebecca Clower (2011)
Vocal
Marianela Pastor (2013)
Fiscal
Alejandro Elliott Berkowitz (2010)
Donors, September 1, 2013 - August 30, 2014
Platinium
$25,000
Gold
$10,000
Peter Paul
Michael Hartmann
Anonymous
Kevin & Carolyn Herman
Charles Brewer/Las Catalinas
Martyn & Debi Hoffmann
Estate of Bruce E. Tricinella
Pascal & Nadja Imbert
Jake & Amy Jacobs
Silver
$5,000
Alejandro Berkowitz
Bill & Desiree Schrader Pura Vida Energy Systems S.A.
Anonymous
James Palmer
12
Bronze
$2,500
Brass
$1,000
Copper
$ 500
Iron
$100
Byron Knief
Marilee Rhodes
David Jacobs
Natasha Avrith
Keith Herman
Summer Coast Realty
Alan Adams
Christian & Jamie Fautz
Pura Vida Ride
Amigos de la Educación
Don Machum
Quentin & Marjorie Dodge
Andrew & Jenny Duerkop Eddy Clinaz
Tiffany Resig
William Nevins
Anthony Lawler
In Memory of Dorothy McGowan
AXA Foundation
Kata Kis
Bank of America Charitable Fund
Leslie Anderson
Clarie Schenebeck
Harvey & Kathy McGowan
Michael Gordon
Cross Holding
Howard Dunaway
Portia Culley
Faith Tjardes
Julia Berry
Tom Rothermel
Gerard Ezcurra
Julie Wright
Alexander Hartnett
Kate Spector
Pat Fuscoe
Alyssa Berg
Katherine Hunt
Paul Errickson
Caleb McClennen
Kristen Sawyer
Phil Eitman
Carol & Walter McClennen
Laura Merritt
Scott Landale
Carolyn Herman
Lea Holliday
Sean Cliver
Catherine Boyd
Leal Carter
Seth McClennen
David Dredge
Lisa Powers
Sharleen Friedman
David Kaminski
Lois Thompson
Susannah Weaver
Dawn Tatro
Melissa Burroughs
Tanya Rauzi
Duncan Calhoun
Michele Berg
Thomas Horst
James Snediker
Michelle Lower
Timothy Capozzi
Jeffrey Osborne
Molly Perencevich
Victoria Zoch
Kate Burke
Nicola Cleary
13
A N N U A L
R E P O R T
Asociación Escuela Comunal La Paz de Brasilito
Cédula Jurídica 3-002-498041
SOUTH CAMPUS: | 400 Metros Este de la Entrada al Proyecto Mar Vista | Guanacaste, Santa Cruz, Costa Rica 50301
NORTH CAMPUS (Prek-2): 500 Metros Sur de la Ferreteria | Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
North: +(506) 2654-4532 | South: +(506) 2654-6087 | Mobile: +(506) 8350-9102 | [email protected]
www.lapazschool.org
La Paz Community School is partially supported by US 501(c )3 recognized World Children's Project
EIN# 42-1649091 Eugene, Oregon
http://worldchildrensproject.org/
2 013 - 2 014
First International Baccalaureate students.
14
Andrea Ramírez, Omar García, Bianca Javogue, David Blanco, Camila Arguedas, Nils Fravalo and Koral Coopwood.

Annual Report - La Paz School

Transcription

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