The City

MANIZALES, A CITY IN PARADISE

POPULATION: 400.000
TEMPERATURE: 18 degrees Celsius / 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
ALTITUDE: 2,150 meters above sea level.

Manizales, capital of the department of Caldas (or State of Caldas) is located on the peaks of the central ridge of the Colombian Andes. The area surrounding Manizales is blessed with sites of exceptional natural beauty such as the national Park of Los Nevados (which means the snowcapped peaks) and thermal baths. The city also offers, aside from its infrastructure of hotels and restaurants, nearby resorts (only 45 minutes away from thecity) for rest and recreation to enjoy the year-round tropical sun in the recreational zones of Chinchiná and Santágueda.

Although Colombia has a reputation for being dangerous, Manizales is progressive, midsize and the safest and most tranquil city of the country. Manizales is the heart of the coffee-growing region of Colombia. Its agricultural and industrial base has grown considerably over the last few years. Several multinational companies have their production plants in the city. The city enjoys an excellent infrastructure of public services such as water, electricity, telephone as well as outstanding land and air travel facilities, connection to Internet (now via telephone and soon via fiber optics) and international television/ satellite/ digital TV. There are also good shopping centers and social / athletic clubs.

Colegio Granadino is a private, non-profit, day, university prep, and co-educational institution that offers a quality bilingual program (K-12) to students of all nationalities regardless of race or creed. Colegio Granadino is a modern learning institution, constantly growing and improving. Founded in 1980, Colegio Granadino offers a dual program of both Colombian High School and US High School through an American-type curriculum.

The nine-member School Board consists of parents elected by the Parent's General Assembly. The Director administers the school with three Principals (Kindergarten K1 to K3, Elementary School K4 to 5; and Secondary School, 6° to 12°) and a Finance Head. Colegio Granadino is accredited by the Colombian Ministry of Education and by the southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

The School is divided into five sections, namely, Kindergarten (K1-K3), Preprimary (K4-1), Primary (2-5), Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12). The curriculum of Colegio Granadino is based on the US system where the core subjects (Math, English, Science, and Social Studies) are taught in English. Spanish is taught K-12 and Colombian History & Geography is taught in Spanish both in Elementary and Secondary Schools. There are a wide variety of extracurricular activities and athletic teams. All Colegio Granadino graduates continue in Colleges in Colombia or abroad. Most of our Secondary School students are enrolled in the dual program, receiving both the Colombian High School Diploma and the US High School Diploma.

The total area of campus is 83.000 m2 (121 m2 per student) or 20.30 acres. Facilities include two buildings for Preprimary (K4-1), two buildings for Primary (2-5), and separate buildings for Middle and High School. There are 3 computer labs (for Elementary, Middle and High School), a Library/Media Center, two Science Labs (One for Elementary, one for Middle School), and Biology, Chemistry and Physics Labs for High School. There are two auditoriums with capacity of 100 seats for Middle and High School and one open Coliseum with a capacity of 300 seats for K-5. There is also a Cafeteria/Auditorium and administrative building, soccer, basketball/volleyball court, spacious gardens, outdoors areas and playgrounds.

The school provides furnished apartments to be shared by 2-3 teachers. Teachers are accommodated in their new homes the moment they arrive in Manizales. Apartments rented by the school are comfortable, safe, clean and located within walking distances of supermarkets, stores, drugstore, banks, and churches.

Thanks to its location, climate, resources, size, safety and especially the kind and gentle spirit of its well-educated in habitants, Manizales is considered to be a paradise of peace and education in the country and in South America.