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Beacon School

Secular, Founded 2010

Updated July 2026

For-profitOwnership

Curriculum

IB PYPIB MYPIB Diploma

Accreditations

IB

Languages

English flagEnglishSpanish flagSpanish

Beacon School is an IB Continuum school in São Paulo, Brazil, offering a bilingual, inquiry-based international education for students from Early Childhood through High School. It balances a rigorous academic programme with a deep commitment to Brazilian culture and identity.

Teaching approach

Beacon School is committed to an inquiry-based pedagogical approach that places the student at the center of the learning process, fostering voice, choice, and ownership. It aims to form open-minded, critical, and ethical citizens by integrating International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes with a strong Brazilian identity. The school emphasizes mutual respect, collaboration, and the development of students who are knowledgeable, courageous, balanced, and reflective.

Programmes

The school is an IB World School offering the full IB Continuum: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Early Childhood and Elementary School, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Middle School, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for High School. The curriculum is bilingual in Portuguese and English, with Spanish introduced as a third language from the age of 10. Core subjects include Brazilian Language and Literature, History, and Geography, which are integrated alongside the IB framework.

Student support

EAL support
Unknown
Learning support
Unknown

Learning support

The school maintains a Student Well-Being Center dedicated to supporting the individual needs of students. The institution invests in professional development for its staff regarding inclusive education, including training on topics such as ADHD and child protection, to ensure a nurturing and supportive environment.

Frequently asked questions(3)
What curriculum does Beacon School offer?
Beacon School offers IB PYP, IB MYP and IB Diploma.
What accreditations does Beacon School hold?
Beacon School holds accreditations including IB.
Where is Beacon School located?
Beacon School is an international school in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Tuition & fees

No published fee schedule was found for this school.

Admissions

The school provides information for prospective families through its website, which includes a dedicated section for student admissions and contact details for specific offices handling Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School inquiries. Families are encouraged to schedule a visit or request information directly through the school's portal.

Calendar

The school operates a structured academic year that includes specific programming such as a Literary Week. It also provides reading recommendations for students across different grade levels (Y3 to Y10) to support learning during vacation periods.

Facilities

LibraryGymnasiumTheatre / auditoriumScience labsArt roomMusic roomPlaygroundSports field

About the campus

The school operates across three distinct units: Campus, Villa, and Berlioz. The Campus, serving students from G5 to Y12, features arts, technology and music hubs, libraries, a 400-seat auditorium, an amphitheater, a gymnasium, outdoor courts, a soccer field, laboratories, and dining halls. The Villa (G3–G4) and Berlioz (G1–G2) units are specifically designed for younger children, offering age-appropriate classrooms, ateliers, sandpits, and natural outdoor play areas.

Co-curriculars

The school offers a range of optional programs and student experiences to complement the core curriculum. Students participate in activities such as volunteer initiatives, including programs in regions like Lençóis Maranhenses, and engage in school-wide events like the Reading Club.

  • ELIZABETH SUTHERLAND
    ELIZABETH SUTHERLANDPEDAGOGICAL DIRECTOR / HEAD OF SCHOOL

    Elizabeth is the Head of School at Beacon School. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has worked in IB schools across the United States, South Africa, Brazil, Belgium, and France. She joined the Beacon team in January 2026.

  • Lais CarvalhoDeputy Head of School

    Lais is an educator with over 30 years of experience and has been working with IB programmes for 14 years. She took part in the implementation of all three IB programmes at Beacon School and holds a certificate in Instructional Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

  • LUCIANA LEITEFOUNDER DIRECTOR

    Luciana is a founder director of Beacon School. She graduated in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, holds a specialization in Finance from Harvard University, and an MBA in Social Responsibility from USP. She previously worked in the financial market and as an administrative-financial director at Colégio Pentágono.

  • MARIA EDUARDA SAWAYAFOUNDER DIRECTOR

    Maria Eduarda is a founder director of Beacon School, having co-founded the school in 2010. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan and has served on the executive board of ABEPAR since 2020 and the State Council of Education of São Paulo since 2022.

  • ELIZABETH CONTEGENERAL COORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

    Elizabeth Conte has been a coordinator at Beacon since 2012. She is certified by the American Montessori Society and has extensive experience as an Early Childhood teacher and English Language area coordinator.

  • KARINE VAIROGENERAL COORDINATOR OF HIGH SCHOOL

    Karine is a biologist with a Master's and Doctorate in Entomology and has specialized in School Management. She has served in various leadership roles at Beacon, including Head of the Science Department and Coordinator of High School and the Diploma Programme.

  • FERNANDA FREITASCOORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - G1 AND G2 AM

    Fernanda Freitas has been part of the Beacon faculty since 2011 and took over coordination of the early years of Early Childhood Education in 2018. She holds a postgraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and participates in study groups on the Reggio Emilia approach.

  • PRISCILA AMADOCOORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - G3

    Priscila holds a postgraduate degree in Psychopedagogy and is certified by the International Baccalaureate. She has worked in Bilingual Education since 2009 and joined Beacon in 2012.

  • PAOLA COSTACOORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - G4

    Paola has a degree in Psychology and Pedagogy and holds a diploma in Montessori Training. She has been working in Early Childhood and Elementary Education since 2003 and has been at Beacon since 2011.

  • GABRIELA OKADACOORDINATOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - G6

    Gabriela holds degrees in Pedagogy and Languages and is a certified teacher by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has been working in bilingual Early Childhood Education since 2012 and started at Beacon in 2018.

  • ELISA GARCIACOORDINATOR OF Y1

    Elisa holds a degree in Pedagogy and is fluent in English. She previously worked as a Bilingual Early Childhood teacher at Beit Yaacov School for 9 years and joined Beacon in 2018.

  • ELIZABETE ANTÔNIOCOORDINATOR OF Y2

    Elizabete has a postgraduate degree in Art History and Literary Reader Formation. She has 14 years of experience as a teacher in bilingual schools and joined Beacon in 2020.

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