Dear members of the Pan-American School community,

Each year, Pan-American School awards the Mister Scholarship to the student who has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, and a commitment to the Pan-American School values, over the course of their Middle School years with us.  

This scholarship is awarded both in recognition of the student’s prior achievement and in our expectation that they will continue to uphold these high standards throughout High School.  We look to Mister Scholarship recipients to continue to: develop to the full extent their skills and understanding in all areas; lead by example in all that they do; and continue to embody the PAS values throughout their time at Pan-American School.

This year, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Mariana Mafla Díaz in Grade 9 has been awarded this important prize.  

On the first day of school, at the Welcome Assembly, we presented Mariana  with the award and included her picture in the Mister Scholarship Gallery.  We also shared breakfast with Mariana, her parents and other scholarship students.  We were joined by:

• Marianne Weber Arroyo, Class of 2025, and her father Hans Andries Weber.
• Emil Shadid Zumbado, Class of 2026, his mother Karla Zumbado Villalobos and his father don Elías Shadid Lépiz.
• Daniela Matamoros Aguilar, Class of 2027, and her mother Kattia Aguilar Retana.
• Andrew Wiese, Secondary Principal and  Jay Warren, High School  Vice Principal and DP Coordinator

I am sure that you will join me in extending our sincerest congratulations to Mariana, and her parents doña Sandra Díaz Sandoval  and don Juan Pablo Mafla Sanchéz- and to all of our Mister Scholarship recipients and their families as they look to continue to proud tradition of excellence in all that they do in and out of our shared community.

Proud to be PAS,

Alan Wrafter

General Director

Dear members of the Pan-American School community,

I hope that this email finds you safe and well, 

This year we are proud to welcome a range of new members to our Sports team this year.  Joining us are:

• Maria José Castro Rueda, Volleyball Coach: A qualified pre-school educator (Universidad de Costa Rica, 2023) and holder of a Diploma in Business Administration (2022), Maria José is one of the leading talents in the Costa Rican Volleyball community, having been named best defender in North American, Central American and the Caribbean in the Female Final Four of NORCECA 2024. Currently playing for Goicochea, Maria José has represented the Costa Rican national team in tournaments such as Copa Centroamericana (2021-2024), Copa NOCENA (2021-2022), Copa Continental NORCECA (2018-2019), Copa Panamericana Sub-20 (2015) and more.
• Alejandro Jesús González Madrigal, Soccer Coach: Alejandro has a long trajectory in the Costa Rican football community including roles as trainer for Sporting F.C. female team (2019-2024); Saprissa Female team (2019); Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and the Universidad Nacional (2014-2015); Fundación Real Madrid, Costa Rica (2013); and more.

With the addition of Maria José and Alejandro, our Sports team for 2024-2025 is as follows:

In our Secondary Fitness Program we are also delighted to offer the following options, which all students will participate in over the coming year:

• Self-Defence
• Physical Fitness
• Dance
• Table Tennis
• Ultimate Frisbee

Update on our new Synthetic Pitch

As we announced last year, we are planning to install a new synthetic soccer pitch, with an innovative “cork infill" which will improve the experience for players, reduce heat reflection, and be kinder to the environment.  As our campus is next to a river, we have been working with the Belen Municipality to process the necessary permits. This process is taking longer than anticipated, but our external contractor is working through the paperwork and the work is progressing. As soon as we have a definitive timeline, we will share more information with the community.

Updated Sports Program Regulations 

A reminder that all students who participate in the Sports Program are expected to align with the Sports Program Regulations outlined here.

PAS Cup, 30 & 31 August

We look forward to welcoming all members of the community to our first PAS Cup which will be held on campus on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 August

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We look forward to a year of continued growth, impact and success for all our athletes through our Sports & Fitness Programs over the coming year.

Alan Wrafter

General Director

On Monday, March 18th, the Pan-American School community held a Professional Development Day focused on community and country service. The following activities took place:

• Guacalillo Beach: A total of 142kg of beach litter was collected.
• SOS Villages: Cleaning, organizing, and painting works were carried out on the houses where the students live. 
• Food Bank: Food items, vegetables, and supplies were reviewed and classified.
• Teaching and Learning Center (CEA): Located in Guácima, work was done in the garden, library, and mural painting.

A total of 167 people attended these activities.

The PYP Exhibition is a culminating event in the PYP programme, where our learners showcase their understanding and learning journey through their time in primary school by connecting to real world issues, engaging in collaborative inquiry and taking meaningful action. The exhibition encourages learners to demonstrate their understanding of the learner profile attributes, approaches to learning and the inquiry process. Over the 8 weeks of this year's exhibition, grade 5 learners have been inquiring into a topic of their choice, all within the context of technology. This year's exhibition included an expressive piece, an interactive piece and a written piece, based on their research. Grade 5 learners were excited to share their PYPX journey with their parents and other students in the school and want the grade 4's to know that it's a lot of work, but it's really not that scary in the end!

PAS SOCIAL IMPACT

Our commitment is not only to support the learning process of our students; but also to contribute to the society that surrounds us, our mission is preparing internationally-engaged individuals, committed to the pursuit of excellence, who make meaningful contributions to their country and the global community.

That is why at PAS, we gladly work to play a positive role in our community, taking into consideration the impact that our decisions have on social and environmental matters. Proudly, we can say that these are just some of the activities carried out:

Domains of Excellence

Embracing the Future:  AI Iniciatives at Pan-American School

Embracing the Future: Our Journey Towards Integrating AI in Education

Sparking Early Literacy Joy

Professional Learning & Growth: A Journey of Constant Evolution

Engaging Parents in AI Integration: A Roundtable Discussion Recap

No Cell Phone Campus for Students from August 2024

Jaguar Crew Building Community

Embracing the Future: Our Journey Towards Integrating AI in Education

Making decisions: how to regulate your emotions & behavior?

Developing Independence in Young Learners:  A PAS Approach.

Developing inspiring, personalized learning for all.

PLT Leadership Retreat on the Future of Learning at PAS.

A weekend full of fun in our last PAS CUP. Thank you all for joined us! 

Our community is international and multicultural, which is one of our greatest strengths. During this special activity, we celebrated various nationalities, creating an environment of inclusion and mutual learning. Parents, staff, and students had the opportunity to share a bit of their traditions, including typical foods, traditional clothing, music, and dances with the rest of the community.

This celebration not only allowed us to learn about and appreciate the richness of other cultures, but it also fostered understanding and respect among all members of our community. We are deeply proud to see that what makes us different is also what unites us. This diversity provides us with the sense of belonging and community that we all need, and it strengthens our bonds, creating a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. We firmly believe that by celebrating our differences, we are building a stronger and more cohesive community.