A Message from our Director
December, 2019.
Dear Students, Parents and Faculty at Balboa Academy,
I am pleased to have joined you - the exceptional students, faculty, PTSO and staff - to lead the academic program here at Balboa Academy. Having led accredited international schools in over 10 countries during the past 30+ years, it is exciting to help foster and guide the fulfillment of the Balboa Academy mission in Panama: cultivating a caring community of lifelong learners, independent thinkers, and builders of a promising future. The ambition, energy and innovative spirit of BA and its community are compelling, and make it a uniquely enthralling and gratifying place in which to learn and teach. I look forward to our continued success not only in providing a challenging, holistic, and first-rate education to every BA student, but also to being a fully engaged member and an active contributor to our Panamanian community.
This past first semester has been a very rewarding experience for me as your Director. I have witnessed broad and outstanding academic achievements in classrooms from Pre-Kindergarten to grade 12, glorious and respectful patriotic expressions of pride for the Republic of Panama during weekly flag ceremonies as well as participating in the march downtown in November, amazing and positive support from the hard working Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) members, infectious and passionate team spirit in the myriad of sports and extra-curricular activities, ability and willingness to work hard in giving back to the community by students volunteering in so many club activities, an awareness and expansion of support from non-profit agencies, businesses and embassies in the greater Panama community, and the network and guidance from international programs including The College Board’s PSAT, SAT, and Advanced Placement program as well as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/AdvancED/Cognia accreditation agencies. From watching a 3 year-old build a towering, architectural masterpiece in PreK to building houses for the less fortunate alongside 12th graders in La Victoria, the spirit of Dragons is evident throughout our campus and out into the world.
We have been working on a couple of new initiatives, including a formal behavior recognition system titled We ACT RIGHT which supports Respect, Integrity, Good deeds, Hard work and Team spirit. This system is based on Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS), a methodology that helps schools to cultivate a culture of rewarding positive behaviors versus punishing negative behaviors. I truly believe, after working around the world with students, parents and teachers from all kinds of backgrounds, that happy students learn more and they learn faster. I believe it is our collective work in ensuring that students are happy in their work at school and that every day is the BEST day of the year. Attitude is everything at school and we are rewarding positive attitudes and positive behaviors in systemic ways at BA, including our new positive behavior system with We Act RIGHT!
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new families joining us at BA. We have over 25 new Dragons joining us in January and the PTSO has helped us begin a new initiative called Welcoming Families to help the transition to our school community. I know I share with you the warm, encouraging support in welcoming our new Dragons to our school. Thank you, PTSO, for helping us act RIGHT!
Go Dragons!
Most sincerely,
Dr. Jorge Nelson, Director
Balboa Academy
Balboa Academy Vision:
Together we cultivate a caring community of lifelong learners,
independent thinkers, and builders of a promising future.
Dr. Nelson’s philosophy:
Happy students learn more, faster.
Email: jnelson@balboa.edu.pa
Website: www.balboaacademy.org
Location: Balboa Academy, Street Jorge Gil, Panama City, Panama
Phone: (507)302-0035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalboaAcademy/
Twitter: @balboaacademy