“I make my principles a standard, which allows me to work with commitment, honesty, responsibility, and a lot of passion. I strive every day to be the best teacher and learn from my experienced colleagues. I like to do my best for my students.”

Do you know what the secret is to love math?
In High School, Mathematics is amazing thanks to our teacher Héctor Caravaca Jiménez.

Our fantastic teacher is passionate about math and physics. He strengthened these two exquisite subjects in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Costa Rica and the School of Teaching at the UNED.
Héctor has been a tutor of the Physics Olympics at the National, Central American, and Ibero-American level of several students who have proudly obtained medals for our country. He has also spent several years working with the UCR and TEC in university course projects for secondary (Pre-calculus and Calculus).

One of the principles that most drive him to give his best in his day-to-day life is to provide students enough motivation to eradicate the taboo that mathematics is complicated. He recognizes that he can change the students’ limits to reach new frontiers on their own.

“I am pleased to see happy and satisfied faces when my students achieve their goals or appreciate how much mathematics can contribute to their professional future. It is about learning to open the vision of students to a problem-solving approach when developing everyday life.”

The learning that we achieve in each class is ultimately a unique experience.

“I hope to achieve with the discovery of the students in each class, new adventures. I wish they are always happy and that education transcends them. May each meeting be meaningful and help them in their integral formation as committed and conscious citizens.”

Our teachers are indeed the ones who make amazing learning possible.

Each of them has unique qualities, and that’s why we love to tell their stories. Today we want to talk about teacher Johnnathan Salazar Camacho, our professor of Enrichment and Music.

From a very young age, he began his history with music, a passion that has accompanied him over time. He is a specialized musician in instruments such as guitar, violin, and cello. This love for music guides him to his university studies in Education with an emphasis on Music Teaching. Alongside this, he discovered the world of a luthier, the world of musical instrument building, an experience that he puts into practice with his students, carrying out projects that complement musical education with the art of construction.

This multi-faceted teacher is not only dedicated to his passion for music; he also has training as a catechist of children, young people, and adults in the Parish of San Rafael Archangel of Heredia. He discovered in this service a deep affection for the message of Jesus Christ, the love of others, and the joy of the Faith.

“Students to me represent Hope. They are a world full of possibilities and a challenge. Entering their world is like an infinite sea of adventures.

“It is important to recognize that each student is unique, with their own way of thinking and their own character, and they bring their own lessons for us as adults on a daily basis”.

“My goal is for my students to always feel that they have a safe, positive, and happy place to learn and grow with me every day!”

Today we want to introduce you to Alannah, the sweetest teacher you could meet. Her charisma and kindness dazzle in her classes. For more than 8 years she has been dedicated to this beautiful profession, creating amazing learning for our students.

Despite being a long way from home in the US, during 5 year she has become part of our St. Jude family. Undoubtedly, it’s magic when she teaches. With charisma and a great passion for mathematics she seeks to foster in students a solid understanding of the subject as well as the development and skills that allow them to innovate, leaving behind the fears that learning math can produce. Without a doubt, something amazing.

“For me, the students are the reason I began teaching and they are the reason I continue teaching. Education to me is more than teaching subjects and objectives at school, it’s a job that allows us to really form part of the journey of life of each student that walks through our door. I love being able to accompany them on their path of growth, helping them not only to understand and love mathematics but also supporting them in their moments of difficulty, helping them have confidence in themselves, watching them confront challenges, and celebrating with them as they vanquish those challenges!”

I want to awaken their critical side, I want them to discover the world from another perspective.

I hope they recognize that everything is an analyzable and questionable text, that you can deconstruct any established concept. I hope they understand that they have no limits to create.”

Today we want you to meet our amazing teacher Melissa Gutierrez.

Teacher Meli is our Middle School Learning Coordinator. Graduated from the University of Costa Rica with a career in Teaching Spanish and Literature, along with her specialties in Education with an emphasis on Teaching Spanish and Teaching Spanish for foreigners; implementing her teaching method, which is based on promoting the knowledge, usage and projection of the Spanish language, as well as its literary manifestations in secondary education. She also seeks to collaborate with the social development of our students, in a national and international scope, by promoting knowledge, critical reflection and a humanistic and cultural vision.

Teacher Meli has 14 years of experience in teaching Spanish, both in national and international institutions and has been working with the diploma program for 5 years.

“Students are the center of my vocation, they are my professional engine. I train, I look for activities, I investigate every day, I create different classes.
Entreno, busco actividades, investigo todos los días, creo diferentes clases.

I constantly look for them to have fun learning, to explore the creative side of critical reading of any type of text. Seeing them grow as critical beings fills me with a lot of emotion.

“I love what I do, the students hugs and their love demonstrations instills are my best rewards.”

Sixteen years ago, Ana Elena Fernández arrived at our institution. Her path began in the old ‘Jardín de la Infancia Católica.’ Her love for the little ones shines through in her classes, creating unforgettable moments for her students.

Besides, Ana Elena has a specialty in Bilingual Preschool and has more than 21 years of experience in education. Together with her charisma, love, and commitment, she generates teaching processes that promote boys’ and girls’ learning and development in different areas.

“Proud of having the best profession. I enjoy being a witness of their achievements and being able to see their faces of astonishment as they discover the world.”

“I am lucky to be part of the development of children in their early years. I always seek to know their needs, guide them in their learning process, and provide safety.”

“I want them to remember me as a teacher who greeted them every morning with a big smile and who always instilled perseverance and love in everything they did.”

"They are my inspiration to continue my learning and help them in theirs. With them, I can deepen my love for science and instill that love in them.”

Meet our Amazing teacher Paula Forero, our High School Learning and Diploma Program Coordinator.

The excellent knowledge of Paula, in addition to her charisma and experience, have made her an unrivaled guide for IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM students and now with new challenges and opportunities ahead with the new international IMYC program.

Paula has a specialty in Microbiology and also a postgraduate degree in University Teaching. It allows her to guarantee extraordinary guidance to our students; Paula ensures that they prepare for the successful future that awaits for them.

“I hope they become the best version of themselves, I always tell them that in addition to teaching them biology, I want to teach them to be better human beings; to be empathetic and kind with everything that surrounds them. I also hope to learn from them.”

“I have always liked teaching, and I did it since I was a child. My students are the reason for what I do; they brighten my days with everything they say and do, and every word of gratitude they express.

I always want to be the person who makes them feel unique, special and encourages them to never give up and meet any challenge or goal successfully.” Find out more about us!

At St. Jude School, we love telling you about our amazing team of teachers.

Today, we continue with a teacher who brings the lessons to life.

Meet Teacher Adriana Huertas Subiros.

Our dear Adriana is a Primary Teacher and an English specialist . With more than five years of being part of the St. Jude family, she has managed, through her innovative teaching techniques and human warmth; to train her students to communicate properly in the language, and with her advanced and academic command of English; she teaches them to compete efficiently in the national and global market.

“I see St. Jude as a family. It is a place where I have grown and learned a lot."
For me, each student is unique and important; I want to be the teacher they know they can always count on, who knows them and who can help and guide them in whatever they need.

My purpose is for them to see that there are no limits to our dreams or goals, that they believe in the magic of learning, how special they are and what they can achieve.

We want you to meet Preschool Teacher Vivian Ramírez.

Teacher Vivi is an specialist in Preschool Education. She has 20 years experience in the area.

Without a doubt she has grown with us and has shown us that with love, the development of a suitable environment, along with her charisma and passion for what she does, the amazing happens.

“12 years ago I started my adventure in this beautiful family, St Jude. Since then I have felt comfortable and very happy to do what I love the most."

I have had thousands of experiences that have forever touched my life. The most satisfying thing that my profession has given me is that by developing the teaching process, my students also teach me many things.

"My greatest reward is to see their smiling faces, the kindness and tenderness of their hearts. That is an important part of my day.”

"I hope that they fight every day for their dreams, that they become the Quixotes of their time and that they shine, always, with their own light.”

Without a doubt here at St. Jude School we have a team of amazing professionals.

Today we want you to meet María Antonia Foradada Lorenzo, our amazing High School Spanish teacher.

Her 37 years experience in education and her specialty in the area of Spanish and Literature, have allowed her to teach new learning techniques and develop students’ skills in an incredible way, where they learn the artistic usage of language, textual criticism and literary creation in technical and formal ways.

Since 1999 she has delighted us with her teaching methods, she is part of the unique history of St. Jude and together with us she has reinvented herself and grown, but above all she has won the hearts of our students.

21 years of unforgettable moments that will continue to grow day by day.

“My students are part of my life and my essence as a human being. With them, I travel through unknown worlds by teaching the love of reading. My greatest hope is to leave a positive mark on each one."

"I want my students to take with them, not only the skills acquired in learning, but the values of life."

Seeing the world through the children’s eyes all these years has been an amazing journey for her, and she has high expectations of a brighter, more compassionate future.

Meet our amazing teachers!

Today we introduce you to Gloriana Villalobos De La Peña, our Head of Elementary School.

Gloriana has over 22 years of experience working with young students. She has been part of our amazing team for 17 years, always showing love and passion for what she does. She has a Master’s degree in Education in Early Childhood and is a former university professor from the education faculty at Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. She speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese.

For her our students ignite the spark of learning in a world full of possibilities, where there is not just one answer, one perspective or just one way to achieve a goal.

Everyday, they discover ways to deepen their understanding by inquiring how this world works, using the power of collective and personal agency, and taking actions, solving problems and making decisions in real- life contexts.

She would love to see children growing as individuals with strong character, becoming joyful life-long learners, who spread kindness, are brave to speak their minds but can accept other people’s ideas peacefully and are motivated to leave a positive footprint in their path in life.

“Art is a magical world that all students enjoy very much, it is like a door open to the imagination, freedom and happiness”

Meet our amazing teachers!

Fiorella Del Vecchio has over 22 years of experience in the field of Education. She specializes in areas such as Preschool, Educational Administration, as a Visual Arts teacher and Visual Artist.

She is an active member of the International Group of Artists of Masters of Fine Arts, of the Painting Collective, Outdoor Painters and Realart4Good, a group that combines art with social projection.

She is a graduate of the University of Costa Rica in Education Sciences and a former student of great masters of the Costa Rican arts. She has been a university professor at Universidad Latina, La Salle and U Católica.
Passionate about the arts and education, she enjoys sharing her educational experiences with primary school children, who are in her opinion the best teachers of creativity.

She shared during this quarantine the magic of taking advantage of the plastic arts and performance to learn and know better the artists that we admire so much, making interpretations of each artist to take advantage of a more lived and meaningful learning that we all enjoy”.

Preschool provides an environment for them to explore, gain a sense of self, play with peers and build self-confidence. Children learn they can accomplish tasks and make decisions. But most importantly, children enjoy themselves and are extremely happy.

Meet our amazing teachers!

Today we introduce you to Yenda Villalobos Slon, our Preschool Principal.

Yenda has more than 22 years of experience in the area of education. She is a specialist in areas such as Educational Administration, Learning Difficulties and Bilingual Preschool Education. Her contact with St. Jude has been a long one and she has undoubtedly grown with us,

Since she was a teacher at the old ´Jardín de la Infancia Católica´. She has accompanied us in every transition and is a fundamental pillar in our institution. And something that undoubtedly does not change in Yenda, is her love and dedication to teaching children and creating amazing moments for them.

For Yenda, the greatest reward that comes with working with children is the joy to get to know each little one, what he or she is thinking, feeling, imagining, believing. As teachers we do not only have an opportunity to influence young minds and hearts, but we are also influenced by the children’s true, loving souls.

There is something about the innocence of children that is very genuine and real and being around them inspires me greatly.

I hope the in children learn to strengthen their social and emotional development. I wish they learn how to compromise, be respectful and solve problems.