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Colombia, Manizales
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The school began in 1979 when Maria Mercedes Londoño de Gutiérrez and American educator Joanne Smith Barrett, with visionary Manizales parents, explored creating a bilingual school modeled after successful American international schools. The aim was to provide high-quality bilingual English-Spanish education in a community-centered, non-denominational framework that included transportation and a cafeteria. In November 1980, the Asociación Colegio Granadino was founded, with the initial administrative team including Dr. Alix Saffon, Joanne Smith Barrett as academic director, Marujita Escobar as General Director, and Maria Mercedes Londoño de Gutiérrez as Executive Director. The Colegio Granadino opened on February 9, 1981 with 45 students in Kinder 4 and Kinder 5, adding a grade each year until the K4–12 program was complete; the current La Florida campus opened in 1984 in a renovated area including the Casa Roja. The school adopted the B calendar in 1987, earned international accreditation from SACS-Cognia in 2001 enabling the American High School diploma alongside the Colombian Bachillerato, and opened Granadino Infantil in 2007 under Reggio Emilia principles.
Vida Estudiantil includes STUCO, National Honor Society, and CG Spotlight, forming the core of student life. STUCO, or Student Council, is a student organization that develops leadership, collaborates on school initiatives, and represents the voice of students to the school board; it regulates the active participation of students in projects across grade levels. The National Honor Society promotes leadership, character, citizenship, scholarship, and service, organized into NEHS for grades 4–6, NJHS for grades 8–9, and NHS for grades 11–12; members complete service hours and run campaigns to support the school and the community. CG Spotlight recognizes student achievements across the community.
The Parents Association (PA) is a non-profit organization formed freely and voluntarily by Colegio Granadino parents. Its purpose is to promote and strengthen the school's philosophy and objectives, and to support school programs and projects for the benefit of the entire school community. The PA operates independently from the school with its own legal personality, assets, and bylaws, and it renews each school year. It also benefits from Class Parents who help plan and execute initiatives that strengthen the bonds between families and the school. Current members of the PA board include Mónica Rocío Güiza Quijano – Presidenta y Representante Legal; Paola Rodríguez Grisales – Vicepresidente; Francisco Javier Castellanos Galeano; Manuela Uribe Llano; Natalia Mejía Victoria; Oriana Marín Roncancio; and Viviana Restrepo Giraldo."
Colégio Granadino in Caldas, Colombia, offers an American-based curriculum with AP and a bespoke approach. It is a private, nonprofit, bilingual English–Spanish school serving Nursery through High School. Accredited by the Colombian Ministry of Education and previously by SACS-Cognia since 2001, it enables students to earn the American High School diploma alongside the Colombian Bachillerato. The 11.8-hectare La Florida campus in Villamaría provides a countryside setting with facilities: 48 classrooms, labs, a library, theaters, art and music spaces, multiple gyms and auditoriums, dining facilities. The school emphasizes standards-based curriculum design—written, taught, and assessed—focusing on deep learning, 21st-century skills, and responsible citizenship. Notable strengths include bilingual language development and a robust sports program, along with a commitment to community service through Granadino Solidario. The campus continues to expand under a Growth Plan, reinforcing its aim to prepare students for university and citizenship, while maintaining a values-driven environment.
