Nosotros - St. Jude International School

Welcome from the Director General

I am Mary-Jo Gill, General Manager of International St. Jude School, and I am pleased to welcome you to our school, which has been providing an excellent international education since 1963.

Our goal is to develop well-rounded students in a bilingual environment (English and Spanish, with French as a third language), preparing them to excel in universities and high-level work environments.

We focus on academic, artistic, and athletic development, with first-class facilities, including a sports field, a sports center, a swimming pool, and an on-campus forest that fosters learning and interaction. We are also the only school with the exclusive CASE V program, which supports young talents in sports, music, and dance while they complete their education.

Our community is based on ethical and Catholic values, promoting collaboration among students, parents, and staff in a positive and inclusive environment. Choosing International St. Jude School means choosing a comprehensive educational experience that combines academic excellence, strong values, and a unique environment.

MISSION

St. Jude School is an internationally minded, inclusive educational community built on committed christian values; the school is known for its innovation and excellence in developing students who are critical thinkers, and adaptable and responsible citizens who will make a positive and lasting contribution to both their society and their environment.

VISION

Our vision is to be the school of choice for parents and students in Costa Rica, a school that promotes excellence, a unique and distinctive school, yet inclusive for all, bringing others with us on this exciting adventure of amazing learning.
Our excellence isn't perfection; our excellence is the daily, constant, and continuous pursuit of improvement. Saint Jude is the saint of lost causes; he never abandoned anyone; he is the saint of excellence.

"Excellence is an art acquired through training and habit. We don't act correctly because we have excellent virtues, but rather we are virtuous because we act correctly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an action but a habit."
*Aristóteles.

LEARNING MODEL

We are a dynamic learning community that aims to inspire the best in everyone, allowing our students to reach their true potential. Our comprehensive and challenging curriculum is designed to help our students excel, ensuring that they are ready for the next stage of their academic career.

At International St. Jude School, we focus on developing amazing experiences for our students to present unique learning every day. Through our new international programs, students will build their attributes from a global perspective.

Our curriculum nurtures our students’ minds and hearts, emphasizing academic skills focusing on community service and leadership to ensure safe and caring individuals.

Our classroom learning inspires students to challenge the status quo, take intellectual risks, and think independently. We also offer students a wide range of opportunities to find and follow their strengths, including an impressive range of co-curricular activities, sports, clubs, field trips, charity work, student ambassador roles, and volunteering.

AMAZING LEARNING

Learning is wondering how the world works, and through amazing experiences, getting better to create a positive impact.

At International St. Jude School, we focus on developing amazing experiences for our students to present Amazing Learning every day. Through our new international programs, students will develop their strengths from a global perspective.

Our students can currently identify amazing learning moments and express when they feel they are not learning or advancing in it. The teacher can focus more on strategies to put students’ minds to work in a personalized way. Assessment is maintained on an ongoing basis, and there is a strong link between school and home.

Learning at International St. Jude School is engaging, motivating, fun, and amazing!

OUR HISTORY

INICIO

International St. Jude School is the latest project of an educational institution that has been educating children and young people with deep-rooted Christian values for over 50 years. Its first institutions were the Catholic Kindergarten, the Active Catholic School, and the St. Jude Thaddeus Bilingual School.

These institutions are the result of many years of collaborative efforts by Mrs. Helia Plasencia de Betancourt and Mrs. Hortensia Esquivel de Luconi, two visionaries of Costa Rican education.

1961

Doña Helia Plasencia de Betancourt and her family arrived in Costa Rica in 1961 from Cuba, amid the island's Revolution. She served as principal of the Primary School Teachers in Holguín, in the eastern part of the country, and upon arriving in Costa Rica, she became the first lay teacher at the prestigious Colegio de Nuestra Señora de Sión.

1963

She started a small kindergarten that would become the foundation of the Active Catholic School. With the increase in the number of children and the need for more space, Doña Helia partnered with Doña Hortensia Esquivel de Luconi, who owned a large property in Barrio Don Bosco, San José, where the school could expand. They worked hard to make their dream a reality. More than five decades later, the Catholic Kindergarten, the Active Catholic School, and the San Judas Tadeo Bilingual School have educated thousands of children and young people with academic excellence and strong Christian values.

1992

With the goal of developing an innovative educational project, in 1992 they acquired a property in Lindora de Santa Ana, a growing metropolitan area with optimal safety conditions and great natural beauty, to develop a teaching-learning process. There, they founded a new institution that today offers a nursery, preschool, primary, and secondary school offering a high level of education: International St. Jude School.

2000 – 2006

In 2000, the new International St. Jude School preschool opened. Primary school began in 2001, and secondary school opened five years later, in 2006, as part of a planned growth process.

2008

It's important to note that the institution worked simultaneously on its facilities in San José and its new headquarters in Lindora, Santa Ana. In 2008, the two institutions finally merged into a single project: International St. Jude School.

International St. Jude School is an educational community where tradition blends with the latest psychopedagogical techniques, strengthening the learning of English and Spanish. Furthermore, instruction is complemented by French and Mandarin, humanities, science, technology, arts, and sports.

2018

International St. Jude School joins the International Schools Partnership, with the goal of developing and transforming the institution into a better version of itself and enabling students to learn at levels that will astonish them.

FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY

At International St. Jude School, we have modern facilities designed to provide our students with a comprehensive learning and development environment.

Robotics Lab: Students learn programming and create robots with tools like Lego WeDo, Ev3, Makey Makey, Dash, and Dot
Computer Science Lab: Develops critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
Science Lab: Spaces equipped for experiments that enhance scientific curiosity and hands-on learning
Large Green Areas: Perfect for recreation and connecting with nature.
Gym and Pool: First-class sports facilities that promote physical activity and teamwork.