Ballena Books Library
A bright, air-conditioned community library open to every grade: picture books, YA novels, and a comfortable place to fall in love with reading.
PK–12 · Bilingual
The Experience
Learning that sticks
Rigorous academics, in two languages, rooted in this place.
One PK–12 campus, three learning stages, each with its own approach, and a school day designed around how children learn best. Across every stage, students build strong academic skills while learning through projects, exploration, creativity, movement, and connection.
3:00
Gates 7:30 · start 8:00 · dismissal 3:00
≤ 15
Students per class, so teachers can meet each child where they are
2
Languages, learned by living in them
A Day in the Life
Three learning stages, one campus, from age three to graduation.
Each learning stage has its own rhythm. Step into a day at any of them, or see how a whole week comes together.
Ages 3–Kindergarten
Early Childhood
A morning that starts with a song and ends with paint under their fingernails: play, art, and two languages, all before lunch.
See a day in Early Childhood →
Grades 1–5
Primary
One ocean unit that turns into science, math, and a story, taught by a teacher who moves between two languages all day.
See a day in Primary →
Grades 6–12
Secondary
Big questions in the morning, an expedition on the calendar, and work students can actually stand behind by the end of the week.
See a day in Secondary →
Want the wider view? See a week in the life →
Highlights
What every Ballena kid gets to do.
A few of the things that make a Ballena year, open to every grade, from our youngest to our oldest.
Signature Experiences
From bat monitoring at Reserva Playa Tortuga to dancing with the Boruca and cleaning our own coast, the place itself is part of the curriculum.
Explore signature experiences →
Outdoor Learning
An outdoor classroom, a student garden, and a coastline for a backyard. A lot of the learning happens outside.
Community Events
Talent shows, cultural celebrations, and end-of-project showcases where families gather and every kid gets a stage.
Academics & Accreditation
Serious academics, built to travel.
Ballena is an official candidate for Middle States Association (MSA) accreditation, with the goal of offering a U.S.-accredited high school diploma. We are also actively pursuing recognition from Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Education (MEP).
Learning happens in two languages by design. Math, Science, and English Language Arts are taught in English; Spanish Language Arts and Social Studies are taught in Spanish. Students develop genuine academic literacy in both languages — not through a standalone language class, but by learning and thinking in both languages every day.
That bilingual, internationally benchmarked foundation is what shapes a student's transcript and keeps college pathways open, at home in Costa Rica or abroad. See exactly how the bilingual model works →
Student Support
Every child, met where they are.
A dedicated Student Support Services team works alongside teachers to help every child learn, grow, and thrive.
Our Student Support Services team gives students the support they need to succeed. From learning accommodations to second-language support, the team helps each student build confidence, make progress, and fully participate in the classroom.
Some students need more time with a new language. Others are ready for an extra challenge or need additional support along the way. Small classes and a dedicated support team allow us to meet each student where they are and help them keep growing.