Secondary Program – Costa Rica Middle School and High School
Dear Secondary School Parents and Students,
The Secondary Program (Grades 6-12) is a standards-based curriculum culminating in a college preparatory Advanced Placement (AP) program and options for dual enrollment university courses while still a CRIA HS student. Academic subjects in the middle years provide a pre-AP foundation that prepares students to be successful in high school AP and dual enrollment courses. The curriculum foundation is adapted from the Virginia State Standards of Learning (SoL). The intent is to make transitions into our school and back to the U.S. or transfers from other schools in Guanacaste and San Jose Costa Rica as smooth as possible.
Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the school day consists of seven 45-minute periods and two breaks, one in mid-morning and one at mid-day for lunch. The day begins at 8:00am with homeroom by grade levels and ends at 3:00pm, followed by after school sports and activities.
Off-campus field trips are an integral part of the Secondary 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.
The entire campus is a WiFi zone for wireless Internet. The Secondary Program utilizes a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. The Secondary science program is supported by fully equipped labs 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 Visual Arts and P.E. The Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered each year, dependent upon demand. These may include English Language and Composition, Calculus, World History, US History, Biology, Computer Science, Spanish Language and Culture, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Statistics and others.
Other activities include yearbook, newspaper, drama groups, student government, the U.S. National Honor Society, The Model United Nations and various social service and ecological groups. The school is a center of social and cultural events for our community, and visiting performers, artists, and speakers are featured each year.
The Secondary Program has a very strong Spanish component, with 1/3 of the classes each day in Spanish including 4 levels of language instruction from beginners to native speakers.
Grading Scale:
| 100-90 | 89-80 | 79-70 | 69-60 | Below 60 |
Minimum High School Graduation Requirements:
| Course | Grades Taken | US High School Credits |
|---|---|---|
| English | 9-12 | 4 |
| Spanish | 9-12 | 3 |
| Social Studies | 9-12 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 9-12 | 3 |
| Science | 9-12 | 3 |
| Electives | 9-12 | 6 |
| Visual Arts | 9-10 | 1 |
| P.E. | 9-10 | 1 |
| Total Academic Credits | 24 |
CRIA's High School program in grade 11 includes classes to prepare for the Costa Rican FARO MEP exams.
We are confident you will find the CRIA Primary program to be an academically stimulating and fun environment!
Contact us for more information about our primary school in Guanacaste, Costa Rica! Or schedule a visit to come to our campus and preview our international Costa Rica High School.
