Colegio Arubano
| Country | Aruba |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
| Location | Vondellaan 14, Oranjestad |
| Branches | 2 |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | Aug - Jun |
| Other information | |
| Director | N/A |
| Website | http://www.colegioarubano.aw/ |
Colegio Arubano (English: Aruban High School) is a senior high school in the Dutch Caribbean colony of Aruba that serves students in grades seven through twelve (measured in Ciclo Basico as equivalents to seventh and eighth grades and in VWO (four-year program) / HAVO (three-year program) as equivalents to American high school grades nine through twelve) from one of its two campuses in either the capital city of Oranjestad or the southern community of Sint Nicolaas. The school is the only of its kind in Aruba.[1]
On 15 February 2008, demonstrations took place surrounding the quality of education in Colegio Arubano and other schools on the island of Aruba;[2] a 2007 study in the Colegio Arubano student body indicated that about 70% of students graduate from lower grade feeder schools and are eligible to enter Colegio Arubano. 60% of students participating in VWO pass final exams, while 50% of all HAVO students pass the HAVO final exam.[1]
The underdirectors are Whitney Kock, Anne Cameron and Milouschka Wernet. The school has around 100 teachers and around 1800 students. At the school different languages are taught: Papiamento, Dutch, English, Spanish and French. When a student is going from the third grade to the fourth grade, the student may choose some subjects. For the HAVO section the student must choose from three different courses, or profiles: Mens En Maatschappij (Economy, Management & Organisation, Statistics, Math and History), Natuurwetenschappen (Math, Physics, Biology and Chemistry), and Humaniora ("CKV" subjects, which include Dance, Music, Visual art and the Dramatic Arts). In the VWO section, the student is not allowed to choose the Humaniora profile. Starting May 1st 2015, former director and biology teacher left Colegio Arubano. Mr.(/Dhr.)H. Timmermans has become our new director and future dutch professor. Mr.(/Dhr.)H. Timmermans shares a future with the 1500+ students and teachers that he wants to upgrade the school and make the school a bilingual.
After a tumultuous start with several incidents, i.e. a students' protest, Mr Timmermans left Colegio Arubano mid December 2015 without an explanation. In March 2016 his contract was terminated.
Classes start at 7:30 AM, but the last hour of school is different for every class and depends largely on the profile of each individual student. Students from VWO 3( 9th grade), HAVO 4 ( 10th grade) and on, generally will have school time from 7:30 AM to 1.25PM or 2:10 PM and occasionally to 3:00 PM. Every period lasts 45 minutes, with the exception of the week in which the teachers and mentors of the students come together and discuss the report cards. In that week all periods are cut with 10 minutes. This usually happens the week before the report cards are given to the parents.
Certain subjects such as CKV (Acting/Dance/Music/Painting class) and LO (physical education) which are given once a week occur in a two-period timespan, thus lasting one hour and thirty minutes. Other subjects are also often given this, commonly subjects relevant to the grade or depending on the difficulty of the material dealt with during that specific year. The amount of hours given to each subject are generally equal to all classes of the same grade, with certain differences between HAVO and VWO
English, Dutch and mathematics are considered to be the most important subjects and a lot of emphasis is put on the study of the aforementioned.
Festivities
Several national holidays are observed and celebrated. On nationally celebrated days, such as Dia di Betico, which commemorates the birth of Gilberto Francois "Betico" Croes on the 25th of January, all schools are closed.
Every year, during the celebration of Carnaval (or Carnival) class queens are chosen from the different grades and compete for the crown of the school queen.
The Key Club branch of Kiwanis Aruba on Colegio Arubano organizes several events, such as the selling of roses, candy and stuffed animals for Valentine's Day, bake sales and fundraising for charity.
Other festivities which have risen in popularity in recent years are the so-called 'water balloon fights'. These are fully coordinated by students of different grades, albeit often happening on the last day of school for the ones who have finished their exams successfully or on the last day of school in general. These water balloon fights have been going on for several years, each year with a new twist. On the last official school day in 2014, balloons were prepared early in the morning, some with glitter or ink. These 'fights' are often harmless and enjoyable. Bottles are also filled with water and emptied on laughing or surprised students as a second resort for balloons.
HAVO/VWO
HAVO/VWO consists of the CB1 (7th grade) and CB2 (8th grade). In that period the students will be tested on their education level. Students with lower learning capacity go to HAVO and students with higher learning capacity go to VWO. HAVO goes till the 11th grade and VWO goes till the 12th grade. Mostly afterwards the students go abroad, to The Netherlands and the USA. You can contact the school by clicking on their contact page.
References
- 1 2 "Eerstewereldland, derdewereldonderwijs". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 24 October 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ↑ "Dagboek Antillen en Aruba". Nieuwsbericht (in Dutch). 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- School home page (in Dutch)