The Santa Cruz Cooperative School was founded in 1959. It is a private, college preparatory day school that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Bolivian Ministry of Education. The school provides educational services for students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12.
The school has around 525 students that represent 14 countries; most of the students are Bolivian. Class sizes range from 14-25.
Mission
The school mission is to help students become responsible citizens and leaders, as well as life-long learners.
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SCCS has a 7-acre campus with a Primary Education area and a Secondary Education area. Facilities include a Library Media Center with more than 15,000 books, 4 computer labs, an Early Childhood Center, a Primary Center building, air-conditioned classrooms, a Medical Care Center, science labs, 2 student counseling centers, a sports complex, lighted sports fields, playgrounds and a cafeteria.
Curriculum
Instruction is in English. The curriculum is college preparatory and is a United States based curriculum. Learning is organized around core classes with the usual specialist classes, just like you would find in the United States. High School students can take Advanced Placement courses. Students graduate with a United States high school diploma and a Bolivian high school diploma. SCCS gives the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, the SAT, the PSAT and the ACT.
Extracurricular Activities
The school offers a wide variety of after school activities at all levels. Activities include clubs, arts and crafts, theater, Senior Honor Society, yearbook, school newspaper, basketball, soccer, volleyball and more.
Technology
The school has over 140 computers, plus 25 in the Library Media Center. Technology is integrated across the curriculum. All classrooms have internet access. Computer classes feature the traditional subjects like typing and learning how to use Word.
Professional Development
No information is available on the school website.
Employment
SCCS wants experienced, certified teachers, especially American because SCCS is an American Overseas School and 70% of the teaching staff are from the United States. Over half of the faculty have advanced degrees. The school lists job openings online. SCCS attends the major recruiting fairs. They also use teleconferencing for interviews with teaching candidates. Teachers who are interested in working at the school can send a letter of introduction to the webmaster@sccs.edu.bo.
Salaries are paid in U.S. dollars and are tax free. Benefits include round-trip airfare, $1,200 relocation allowance, $6,000 a year housing allowance, medical insurance, annual $1,000 re-signing bonus after the initial contract, visa costs covered by the school, 13 personal/sick days per year, vacation time similar to that found in schools in the United States and a retirement fund of $1,000 annually.
About Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is located about 60 miles east of the foothills of the Andes Mountain Range. It is the capital of Santa Cruz province, which is the largest province in Bolivia. The city has a central plaza which serves as the city center and has a church, banks, a museum, restaurants, shops and an open area for concerts and cultural events. The city has large grocery stores, traditional markets and small convenience stores for shopping. Western goods are available, but they are more expensive than back in the States. Nightlife focuses around bars, restaurants, nightclubs, karaoke bars and movie theaters. The weather is warm and humid in the summer and cool during the winter. The political climate in Bolivia can be volatile, but the school is rarely impacted by political events.
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