La Paz Community School

The school’s mission is to cultivate informed and mindful global citizens through a dual-immersion and experiential learning model. It emphasizes peace practices, sustainability, social responsibility, and a deep connection to nature, the arts, and physical education. The educational approach integrates high academic standards with the development of analytical and creative skills to foster harmony within the community and the world.

The school offers a bilingual, dual-immersion curriculum organized into stages: Bajura (Preschool, starting at age 1), Miravalles (Kinder–2nd grade), Arenal (3rd–5th grade), Tenorio (6th–8th grade), and Chirripó (9th–12th grade). In the final two years, students may pursue the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, which includes subjects such as Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Business Management, Global Politics, Biology, Mathematics, Visual Arts, and Theatre. The IB core components—Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)—are mandatory for diploma candidates.

The school is fully accredited by the Costa Rican Ministry of Education for all levels from preschool through secondary education. It is also an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the IB Diploma Programme for students in grades 11 and 12. Graduates are prepared to thrive in a globalized world through a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, multicultural empathy, and academic rigor.

The school employs learning support specialists to assist students. It maintains a commitment to an inclusive environment that welcomes students of diverse abilities and backgrounds.

The admissions process requires families to visit the school, submit an application form, and provide documentation including immunization records, identification, and previous academic transcripts. Applicants must also submit an essay or drawing and a teacher recommendation form. The school maintains a diverse and inclusive community, offering financial aid for up to 50% of tuition and a separate scholarship program for families from low-income communities requiring higher levels of assistance.

The school year typically begins in September. Tuition payment schedules vary by campus, with trimester installments due in June, October, and February for the Cabo Velas campus, and July, November, and March for the Tempisque campus. Monthly payment plans are also available, spanning from June to May for Cabo Velas and July to June for Tempisque.

La Paz operates two campuses in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica: Cabo Velas and Tempisque. The Cabo Velas campus, established in 2011, features eco-friendly facilities, greenhouses, gardens, a chicken coop, an arena, a semi-Olympic pool, and soccer fields. The Tempisque campus, opened in 2021, includes modern classrooms, a high school building, a soccer field, synthetic mini-soccer fields, a running track, and a covered court. Both campuses provide dedicated spaces for the arts and outdoor learning.

Students participate in a variety of sports, including soccer, swimming, and activities held in the school's arena and aquatic center. The school also emphasizes "Anchor Projects," which are hands-on, place-based experiential learning initiatives that connect students with nature and their local environment. Additionally, the school offers various extracurricular activities and camps to foster student engagement and wellness.