New International School Proposed for Coronado Area

 “My husband and I knew that moving to Gorgona would create some challenges when it came to the kids’ education, so we carefully researched our options,” Kathy Kress told me in January.  She wrote an article for PlayaCommunity.com about how she came to choose the online program, k12®.  Now she hopes to use the same program to start an international school to serve residents of the beach areas.   Kress holds a teaching license in several states and a principal license in Colorado.  She has taught all levels from Pre-K to 12 all around the globe for over twenty years and earned a Masters degree in the Administration and Supervision of Overseas and International Schools.  She helped open a new school in China a few years ago and is eager to open a school here!

“My goal is to build an accredited school that offers a quality English education with a special focus on the language and culture of our host country, Panama.  After working in various international schools, I have learned how to create and implement such a program.  Now it’s time to get started!”“I believe that each child learns differently and needs to be challenged to at her/his own level.  I believe that the ideal classroom is one in which each student has a variety of ways to learn new things and has the opportunity to practice and extend new knowledge.  I believe that children, with guidance, can learn to identify their own strengths and weaknesses so that they make optimal progress.”

Kress said she intends to use the k12® program for the first year while she and a team of educators work on designing a permanent curriculum that will fulfill the requirements for US accreditation as well as reflect the local culture.   She feels that this program fits well with the philosophy of the school and can be supplemented with language and culture studies.  Students will also have to option of attending local school as well.

The next step will be to evaluate the community response.  Toward this end, Kress invites interested parents to contact her at kmtmf@yahoo.com or call 6786-0854.