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Costa Rica, Guanacaste
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La Paz Community School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for 11th and 12th grades. Students select six subjects and three core components (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service) to complete the diploma. The program provides breadth and depth of knowledge and supports intellectual, emotional, and ethical development, with study in at least two languages. Assessment includes external and internal components, with a maximum diploma score of 45. Experiential learning and a focus on real-world understanding are integrated into the program.
Arts are embedded as a core course from preschool to 12th grade. The Visual Arts program covers art and design across mediums including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and media art, with opportunities to pursue the IB Visual Arts pathway at Standard and Higher Levels. The Music program engages voice, percussion, ukulele, marimba, and electronic recordings to cultivate musical appreciation and creativity. The Drama program develops creativity and communication, preparing students for IB Drama in the upper grades.
La Paz provides bilingual preK-12 education across two Guanacaste campuses. The Dual Language Immersion program goes beyond mastering two languages to immersion in two cultures, fostering true global citizenship.
The Extracurricular Program offers activities for students and the community, including sports, the Arts, recreation and culture. The Tiburones athletic program at Cabo Velas and the Pumas Athletic Program at Tempisque provide competitive interscholastic sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, chess, fencing and more. Student athletes balance training with academics, and the community supports La Paz teams through regular games and Gold Coast League tournaments.
Anchor Projects engage students from Kindergarten to 8th grade in activities like recycling, composting, managing the chicken coop, protecting monkeys, conserving water and energy on campus, sustainable agriculture, and gardening. In 9th and 10th grades, students participate in the Pre-CAS program focusing on projects that directly benefit the local community. In 11th and 12th grades, through the IB CAS Program, students design and lead their own projects that have meaningful community impact.
Leadership opportunities are fostered through Anchor Projects and the IB CAS program, with students designing and leading their own projects in the upper grades. The CAS program links creativity, activity, and service with leadership development and community impact. The IB Diploma Programme supports high-level thinking, communication, and collaboration skills that prepare students for future study and work.
Mindfulness is practiced regularly through Community Meetings and integrated into lessons, helping students develop self-management, attention, emotional regulation, and ecological awareness. The BEST program uses mindfulness to regulate emotions and reflect on learning challenges, building skills for success. The four Peace Practices guide daily actions to cultivate compassion, balance, environmental stewardship, and effective listening.
La Paz Community School is a PreK–12, non-profit, dual-immersion school in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, operating on two campuses: Cabo Velas and Tempisque, plus an Events and Sports Center on the Cabo Velas campus. The school teaches in English and Spanish and offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for 11th and 12th grades, with a bilingual PreK–12 education that immerses students in two languages and two cultures. Its experiential learning approach brings hands-on, real-world connections to every subject, from science labs and gardens to anchor projects such as managing a chicken coop, greenhouses, and composting. Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, libraries, science labs, art and music spaces, a stage, and a semi-Olympic pool and arena for sports and performances. The Extracurricular Program spans sports, arts, recreation and culture, and anchor projects feed opportunities for leadership, service, and community impact across grades. Our teachers collaborate with families to support each student's growth everyday.
