Journey School of Costa Rica

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The joy is in the journey!

Welcome to Journey School of Costa Rica. We are a project-based school in Costa Rica offering personalized curriculum in a dual language setting from  2 years to 12th grade. At Journey School of Costa Rica, community building is our guiding principle.

We Believe...

In utilizing a project-based, student voice and choice in the implementation of our curriculum, relying heavily on project-based teaching methods and seeing each student as the unique and beautiful human they are. We offer ample opportunities for student leadership as well as AP and MEP pathways. Journey School of Costa Rica is accredited by Cognia  and MEP.

Project Based Learning, La Josefina Campus

Foundation
(0-5 years)

The Foundation Program is our Reggio-inspired preschool in Costa Rica. Multilingual, play-based and absolutely joyful! Serving babies and kids from birth to 5 years of age.

Elements Program at Journey School

Elements
(6-10 years)

For a lifelong love of learning, the Elements Program nurtures positive emotional patterns during the critical elementary years of rapid learning.  

Bridge Program at Journey School

Bridge
(11-13 years)

Middle School is statistically when students’ academic interest begins to decline making it vital for educators to provide the Bridge Program with opportunities to encourage and explore personal passion areas.

Pathways Program at Journey School

Pathways
(14-18 years)

Students choose to pursue graduation by following one of three pathways. With our Pathways Program, students can earn a MEP diploma offered by Costa Rica, or a US diploma through Cognia, or any combination of the two options.

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Our Approach to Education

Journey School of Costa Rica began in August of 2018 as a pilot program uniting a community of just 20 learners living in the gold coast of Costa Rica with the plan to grow purposefully and in a spirit of excellence.

Over its first year, Journey School of Costa Rica grew to over 100 students and 14 teachers committed to always maintaining a low student to teacher ratio.

Since that time, Journey School of Costa Rica has purchased its Tamarindo campus, grown its online presence to include students in 7 countries, and also increased its on campus and online enrollment to 200 students led by 30 teachers and coaches.

To say that the growth has been a joy-filled process is to dramatically understate the process. With the addition of each student, Journey School of Costa Rica grows in depth and richness as a community overall.

Socially and Emotionally focused,  Journey School of Costa Rica’s central tenants continue to be kindness, empathy and compassion, in addition to an uncompromising spirit of academic excellence. We work closely with Cognia, PBL Works, REGGIO Children and Conscious Discipline.

More on Our Approach

Journey School of Costa Rica

1.

Student Focused

Curriculum designed around the needs of each student, meeting students where they are, developmentally and academically. 

2.

Small Class Sizes

Our low student to teacher ratios allows educators to tailor daily lesson plans to the pace and passions of students, in addition to fostering deeper interpersonal relationships.

3.

Electives to Inspire

Beginning in 1st grade, Journey students are offered exciting place-based electives, such as veterinary science, studio or culinary arts, entrepreneurship and skateboarding

Hours of Operation

Office: 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Classes: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Journey’s First Graduate

Talen Niven graduated from Journey School of Costa Rica in 2018. He was accepted to Penn State, Emory, Hofstra, Vanderbilt, Baylor, University of Texas, Texas A&M, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Colorado.

Talen received several scholarships, ultimately choosing to accept an offer to Penn State.

Talen immediately fell in love with biology, and when COVID sent him home he regrouped and applied to several schools with stronger biology programs, receiving acceptance to Georgetown, Cornell, and the University of Denver.

Talen opted to attend the University of Denver, where he received a full scholarship, and began working in the Erich Kushner Laboratory as a student research assistant.

Talen will graduate this weekend with honors with a GPA of 3.8. His largest contribution during his undergraduate education: Talen invented a system for micropatterning endothemial cells.

Talen has been invited to continue on with Dr. Kushner next year. He will receive his PhD in microbiology with a focus on cardiovascular cellular regeneration. Talen has co-authored a paper entitled, Lipidure-Based Micropatterning for Stereotyping Endothemial Cell Geometry, that is out for scholarly review and publication soon.

In the future, Talen intends to earn an MD in addition to his PhD, and looks forward to a career in research in the field of microbiology.

When he isn’t on campus, Talen can be found snowboarding, hiking, or rock climbing in the Colorado mountains with his dog, 7.

Needless to say, we are very proud of Talen’s accomplishments.

Journey School of Costa Rica,
San Mateo

Visit our newest Journey School of Costa Rica
addition in San Mateo!

Journey School of Costa Rica
San Mateo

Meditations with Ale

Meditations for teachers
in the morning at the start of the day.

Specifically for education/school and teachers.

This evening, I asked Mia what it felt like to be nominated for the Journeyer Award (what an honor!!!). Her answer portrayed that she had likely reflected on this all afternoon. So cool! Mia shared that it’s incredible to be understood so well by teachers, classmates and everyone at school even when she’s so far away. She mentioned how talented everyone is at caring for one another. And that there were a lot of characteristics for all of the awards and during the ceremonies she kept thinking how all of these are really important. Honestly, ALL of this literally brings me to joyful tears! 

First and foremost, thank you for the love you have & show Mia on a daily basis. Also, for the love & thoughtfulness you’ve given our entire family. You all have been our saving grace throughout the pandemic…I truly mean this. And the adventure has been a marvelous & sharp contrast to some very challenging times. We will forever be grateful. ❤️ -Trina Ulrich

Listen to Christa's Swan Dive Podcast!

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