School of the Nations continues to invest in and develop infrastructure
To renovate and innovate requires creativity, commitment, and courage. Over the past year, we have made major investments at the main campus, including a new soccer field, a new infirmary, a new science lab, and a new arts classroom, among others.
Funding has also been secured for our Early Childhood campus. The School has acquired interactive projectors for students in Pre-Kindergarten. In addition, students gained access to new learning experiences with the inauguration of the Animal House—an engaging environment in which students learn about caring for other living beings.
Through remodeling, repairs, and purchasing new materials, School of the Nations continues to provide opportunities for students to thrive on their academic journey.
In 2017-18 School of the Nations has invested in the following areas.
New Soccer Field
Our Cougars will roar louder this year!
A new soccer field brings a dynamic, safe, and attractive sports area to students, teachers, and the School community.
Construction of the new soccer field took place in nine stages — landscaping, masonry, flooring, containers structuring, AstroTurf, finishing and coatings, adhesive application, woodwork, and metalwork. A team of more than fifty workers contributed to creating our beautiful, new soccer field.
The field is eco-friendly and designed for low-cost maintenance. Water drainage occurs at a high rate. Several layers of sand and pebbles filter rainwater, reducing its weight and speeding up water collection. Once drained from the field, water is channeled into the Mandala Garden, where it will be repurposed for irrigation.
Just like natural grass fields, soccer fields of artificial grass allow players to perform exceedingly well in sports and physical activities. The field is designed for safety, durability, and aesthetics and enables students to practice and compete safely — resulting in high caliber sports and athletics.
Families and guests can now comfortably enjoy attending Nations Cup games, After School classes, and special events. Three sections of bleachers that can seat up to two-hundred-and-sixty people bring spectators closer to the action. We chose wooden seats for their comfort and low heat conductivity.
New Changing Rooms
The new soccer field now has two locker rooms, one for girls and the other for boys. Students can now shower after games and activities and change into their sports uniforms as needed. The facilities offer students convenient access to new bathrooms and to water fountains as well.
New Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Laboratory
Hands-on learning is an essential pillar of the education we offer at School of the Nations. Our new STEM Lab meets the dynamics of 21st-century learning. Six new island lab stations provide students ample space to work safely in the lab. Each station comfortably accommodates five students. The new lab will provide modern and new learning experiences in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
New Maker Space (Arts Classroom)
Artsy, practical, inspiring, and innovative. The remodeled Maker Space features a space where learning and creativity blossom. Four refurbished, exclusively designed tables offer students space to craft, paint, and handle materials easily. The paintings on the walls reflect Brasília’s most influential architecture in a reinterpretation of Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night.’ On one side of the room is a wooden workbench, with tools and art supplies, and an arrangement of wall box shelves to organize students’ canvases and works of art. The other side of the room provides an area for students to display their finished projects and works of art.
New Flooring for Our Sports Court
Our Sports Court has new flooring! In addition to providing our athletes with a safer, more comfortable environment in which to play sports, the new flooring requires less maintenance and is 100% recyclable.
New Infirmary
Our School infirmary attends forty students each day on average. The new infirmary meets our students’ and health professionals’ needs. It has a welcoming reception area, two stretchers, couches, and a bathroom. Its interior was designed to preserve student privacy while providing quality health services.
New Cafeteria Tables and Chairs
Our new cafeteria tables have wheels, which make it much easier to move and organize them in the dining area. The new chairs are both comfortable and practical.
New Desks and Chairs for Elementary Classrooms
Students in Grades 2 through 5 have new desks and chairs. After assessing students’ needs, the pedagogical team did research to find the best classroom furniture solutions on the market. The new furniture provides students accessibility as well as comfort.
New Furniture for E5 Classroom
E5 is the first classroom in Secondary to receive new desks and chairs. The furniture is a prototype of a flexible, innovative classroom environment. Students can choose a high or low desk, sit individually or in groups, and work in different spaces. The new furniture offers alternatives to students and teachers as they learn.
190 Chromebooks for Elementary and Secondary Students
Chromebooks are new, faster computers that automatically update tasks. They come equipped with Google apps and multiple layers of security. With the many iPads our students already use, Chromebooks will help students develop 21st century skills through innovative use of technology in the classroom. This addition to our educational technology will help encourage group work, collaboration, and creativity in Grades 2 through 8. Our English, Math, and Portuguese departments will share the Chromebooks, and teachers have begun to incorporate their use into some of their lessons.
State-of-the-Art Interactive Projectors for Pre-K Students
In 2017-18, Pre-K classrooms were upgraded with interactive projectors. The state-of-the-art projectors provide a quality learning experience by ensuring every student in the room can see and interact with what is projected. You can project a screen of up to 2.5 meters, so students can read from anywhere in the classroom. Projected images have no glare even when viewed from seats at either side. Learning becomes fun with the variety of engaging interactive content. Students can enjoy game-based, interactive content with finger touch operations. The system supports simultaneous interactivity using both pen and finger touch. The new projectors help ensure truly engaging and interactive learning experiences.
New Fire Prevention Systems
We replaced our fire prevention systems on both campuses. They meet all governmental safety norms, and our local fire department has inspected and approved them. In addition to fire extinguishers and alarms, School of the Nations has improved its fire exits near the auditorium and the building that houses our secondary classrooms.
New Keyboards
The School invested in twenty-five new keyboards for our music classes. The Elementary Music department integrated the new keyboards into classes, and students are enjoying learning to play them.
Animal House at Early Childhood
On August 31, 2017, we inaugurated our Animal House at the Early Childhood campus. It is the home of fish, turtles, chickens, and guinea pigs. Students can now learn outside the classroom about the animals, what they eat, how they develop, and what they need to survive. In a series of lessons, students develop their awareness of the importance of preserving the environment. Under their teacher’s supervision, they learn to feed and care for each of the animals.