Schools in panama city: Best Panama City Schools | Panama City, FL School Ratings

5 Best International Schools in Panama City, Panama

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With the Panama Canal ensuring a thriving economy, it’s no wonder Panama is increasingly popular among expats. The country leads the way in many respects for Central America, and not just with its economy. Among many other things, you’ll find the best international schools in the region here.

The majority of international schools in Panama are located in the capital, Panama City. You’ll find some in other cities like Colon and David, but the choice available won’t be as good as here. Schools are spread across the capital city, with a cluster near Tocumen International Airport, some next to urban forest areas north of the city centre, and some located in the heart of the city itself.

You should keep in mind, however, that this broad spread of schools across the city could create a challenging commute. Remember to consider where you will be living in Panama before choosing a school. If you don’t know which part of the city you’ll be living in, consider some areas where you would like to live and try to find out how the commute would work from there. Most schools offer a bus service for students which should help.

The majority of Panama City’s international schools teach through English, with some offering a choice of instruction through English or Spanish. So if your child hasn’t started learning the local language yet, this is a great way for them to catch up. The most well-known schools in the city have native English-speaking teachers, but this can be hit-and-miss in some of the newer, lesser known international schools.

The school calendar may follow Panama’s public schools and run from February to December, (November to January are the summer months in this part of the world). Alternatively, many schools choose to follow the typical calendar of the international school’s country; i. e. a British or American international school will take a summer break during the British/American summer months, from June to August.

Like international schools all over the world, Panama City’s international schools have small class sizes to encourage student-teacher engagement and hands-on learning. 25 students or less per class is the norm here. You’ll find a mix of nationalities among the student body, with a relatively small number of local students (usually around 10-25%).

Although international schools in Panama City aren’t strictly religious, it’s important to know that the vast majority of Panama’s population are Roman Catholic. Religion plays a very important part in people’s daily lives. You should expect this to enter into school life in some way, especially if there is a high number of native teachers and staff in the school. That said, religious activities should not be forced upon your child and will usually be optional.

Below, we have compiled the top 5 international schools in Panama City according to our users.
However, there are another 11 schools to choose from in the city.
You can find the best international school for your child by personalising your results. Just fill in your search criteria, and we will calculate a personal score for every international school in Panama City based on your requirements.

Schools in Panama City, FL

Cities and Towns in the United States > Florida > Bay County > Panama City FL > School

Panama City, FL has 49 schools, 18 of them are Elementary, 6 Middle Schools, 7 High Schools and 11 alternative Schools.

Elementary schools in Panama City

Bay Haven Charter Academy

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 5
Students : 696

Callaway Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 517

Cedar Grove Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 488

Deer Point Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 794

Hiland Park Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 780

Hutchison Beach Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 580

Lucille Moore Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 545

Merriam Cherry Street Elementary

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 362

North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 5
Students : 696

Northside Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 710

Oakland Terrace School For The Visual And Performing Arts

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 352

Oscar Patterson Elementary Magnet

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 315

Palm Bay Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 5

Parker Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 597

Springfield Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 465

St. Andrew School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 129

Tommy Smith Elementary School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 5
Students : 693

University Academy Sabl Inc

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 8
Students : 515

Middle schools in Panama City

Bay Haven Charter Middle School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 514

C C Washington Academy

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 85

Everitt Middle School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 679

Jinks Middle School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 564

Merritt Brown Middle School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 716

North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 8
Students : 512

High schools in Panama City

Bay High School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 9, Highest grade : 12
Students : 1254

Central High School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 9, Highest grade : 12
Students : 151

Chautauqua Charter School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 9, Highest grade : 12
Students : 48

North Bay Haven Career Academy

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 9, Highest grade : 12
Students : 734

Rosenwald High School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 8, Highest grade : 12
Students : 194

Rutherford High School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 9, Highest grade : 12
Students : 1090

Tom P. Haney Technical Center

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 12, Highest grade : 12

Alternative schools in Panama City

Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 12
Students : 31

Bay Virtual Franchise

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 3, Highest grade : 12
Students : 69

Bay Virtual Instruction (Course Offerings)

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 12
Students : 23

Bay Virtual Instruction Program

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 10
Students : 27

Deane Bozeman School

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 12
Students : 1256

Exceptional Student Education

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 12
Students : 1

Margaret K. Lewis In Millville

District of Bay
Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 12
Students : 153

New Horizons Learning Center

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 12
Students : 144

Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 12
Students : 295

Panama City Marine Institute

District of Bay
Lowest grade : 6, Highest grade : 12
Students : 85

Rising Leaders Academy

District of Bay
Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 12
Students : 140

Private schools in Panama City

Adventist Christian Academy

Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 8
Students : 38

Covenant Christian School

Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 12
Students : 148

Gulf Coast School For Autism

Lowest grade : K, Highest grade : 12
Students : 30

Holy Nativity Episcopal School

Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 8
Students : 274

Kaleidoscope School Of Discovery

Lowest grade : 1, Highest grade : 12
Students : 146

Panama City Advanced School

Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 12
Students : 137

St John Catholic School

Lowest grade : PK, Highest grade : 8
Students : 184

Immigration to Panama: How to choose the right school for your child?

Every parent, when he decides to immigrate with his family abroad, worries about how to choose the right school for his child? Panama can offer emigrants a choice of free education in a public school or paid education in private schools.

The education system in Panama includes free and compulsory education for Panamanians, which is enshrined in the country’s Constitution back in January 1941 years old. As in many Latin American countries, Panama’s education system is underfunded by the government. This fact has repeatedly provoked criticism from various international organizations.

Nevertheless, the general level of education in Panamania is significantly higher than in other countries of the Latin American region. So the literacy of the population of Panama is 93%. In recent years, the government has been investing more in the development of its education system, but the allocated funding is still not enough.

Many experts say that Panamanian education is gaining positive points at the expense of private international schools with links to well-known educational institutions in the USA, Canada and Europe. The Panamanian education system is divided into two levels – primary education and secondary education.

What does primary education in Panama include?

Primary education in public schools in Panama is free.

• Pre-school education has two levels, and includes the period of the child’s stay in kindergarten. This is the age of children from 4 to 5 years. At the same time, the state does not oblige citizens to send children to preschool institutions and receive a preschool level of education.
• The elementary school has six years of education, and covers the age of children from 6 (grade 1) to 12 years (grade 9).
• Secondary school – the first stage “Cyclo común” covers children aged 12 to 15 years, that is, it is designed for three years, after which a school certificate is issued.
• Secondary school – the second stage “Ciclo académico” is already a paid form of education, but not mandatory. It includes three years of education for children from 15 to 18 years old, and is based on extracurricular activities. Students themselves choose a technical or academic direction, in specialties in the fields of: natural science, mathematics, technology, literature, business basics, as well as agriculture and animal husbandry. At the end of the three-year period of study, students receive a high school diploma (Diploma de Bachiller).

In some parts of the country there are specialized educational institutions that provide training courses for children with disabilities. Including in Panama, there are informal programs for adults to improve education and change qualifications.

Those who wish are taught new technical and professional skills for 2-3 years, after which they receive a specialty and a certificate, and can get a better job.

Higher education in Panama

Higher education in Panama can be obtained at the universities of the country. University curricula are focused on the economic interests of the Republic of Panama.

Against the backdrop of many years of economic growth, the country is experiencing a serious shortage of highly qualified specialists. The most demanded sectors of the economy are: science, the maritime industry, the environmental sector, telecommunications and Internet technologies.

The length of the school year and the assessment system in Panamanian schools

The Panamanian Ministry of Education is responsible for regulating the school curriculum, writing textbooks and teaching aids for teachers. In turn, private schools have the right to deviate from state educational requirements and programs, and determine their own concept of education.

Spanish is the main language of instruction in public schools. After 2001, according to the order of the government, the English language also received the official status of education.

Public and private secondary schools in Panama have a five-point assessment system in which a three-point score is satisfactory and allows a student to progress to the next semester or grade.

If a student misses four or more subjects in the same year, or misses the same subject twice in a row, they will not be able to advance to the next grade and may be suspended or transferred to another school.

Panama Public Educational Institutions

In general, pre-school education is not particularly developed throughout the country, although in large cities of Panama you can find a sufficient number of kindergartens, private play or pre-school institutions. Usually, Panamanians are accustomed to hiring home nannies to raise young children.

The academic year in public Panamanian schools, as well as in most private schools, consists of three semesters. The study begins in the last days of February, and ends in December. Summer holidays last from the beginning of January to the end of February.

At the same time, there are many private schools in the country that operate the so-called “northern” calendar, with the academic year from September to June.

The curriculum in Panama includes subjects such as mathematics, a foreign language, science, art and physical education. Classes at the school (depending on the schedule) can start at 7 or 8 in the morning and end at 14-00 or 15-00.

With regard to providing students with additional classes in the form of dance or art circles, as well as other electives, such an opportunity does not always exist.

Despite some improvements in Panama’s public education, the quality of education “leaves much to be desired. ” Especially in rural areas where there are often cramped classrooms, there are not enough teachers and there may be children of different ages in the same class.

In this case, the school may not be very close to where many students live, in which case the school provides students with school buses. But in cities the situation is much better. Given all the pros and cons, the quality of public education in Panama has been improving in recent years, but still inferior to the level of private schools.

The enrollment process usually consists of a simple meeting between the school principal and the student and their parents. Depending on the availability or absence of vacant places in the school, it is the director who decides whether the student is admitted to study.

For enrollment, you must provide the following documents:

• Health certificate.
• Birth certificate or passport or identity card (cedula).
• Statement of academic performance in subjects from the previous school, notarized in the country of issue. After that, the document must be certified by the Panamanian consulate or embassy.

Panamanian Private Schools

Panamanian Private Schools are among the best in Central America. The quality of education in private schools is equal to the level of schools in North America. Panamanian private school administrations are well resourced and have highly qualified teachers. Typically, subjects in private schools are taught in English, resulting in a bilingual middle class in Panamanian society.

Panama City has a large number of private Panamanian and international schools. Tuition fees in international schools, in comparison with Panamanian ones, are quite high. Therefore, the main students of international schools are the children of immigrants.

Admission to an international school depends not only on the availability of space, but also on the child’s knowledge of the language used at the school. It is advisable to start the enrollment process early, as the procedure can be delayed.

Most of the international schools in Panama have their own websites, so you can start by filling out the online form and using the online registration.

When making a decision about choosing a school for your child, you should first find out the language used, as well as the school curriculum. This approach is necessary so that in the future the program is not too difficult for the child, especially during the transition period in the new school.

It is also important to pay attention to the volume and qualification of knowledge that children receive at school. If your child in the future wants to enter, for example, universities in Canada, the UK or the USA, then it is necessary that the standards and level of knowledge gained allow him to enter the chosen university.

With regard to the cost of education, the main part of all international schools in Panama, when enrolling a child in school, obliges parents to pay a so-called registration fee or donation, which can vary from 1000 USD to 16000 USD . In this case, both one-time payments for the year and installments can be used, within the specified time before each semester.

Health and Medical Services in Panama

Among the international private schools in Panama there are also traditional small: Catholic, Jewish, Christian and Muslim schools, where teaching is conducted in two or more languages. Many of them are located in almost every district of the city.

For example, in Panama City there are Catholic schools such as: El Javier, La Salle, Colegio Episcopal, Las Esclavas, Maria Imaculada, St. Mary’s, as well as Christian Crossroads Christian Academy.

International bilingual schools:

• International School Panama – Spanish, English.
• Interamerican Academy of Panama (Academia Interamericana de Panama) – Spanish and English.
• The Oxford School – English, Spanish.
• Balboa High School – English, Spanish.
• Boston International School (Boston School International) with the teaching of English and Spanish.
• French Lyceum named after Paul Gauguin (Lycée Français Paul Gauguin) – education according to the French educational program, and only in French. Also, children can learn Spanish and English, which are secondary.
• King’s College Panama – English, Spanish.

What do you need to emigrate to Panama?

In order to emigrate to Panama, you need to use the State Investment Programs, which are established by the government of the country. There are a fairly large number of such migration programs, and choosing the most suitable one for yourself, you can sign up for a free consultation with us.

If you are serious about immigrating to Panama with your whole family, you should immediately be reminded that, for example, buying residential or commercial property in the country, you automatically receive a legal right to reside. Here is one example of real estate that can be bought in the prestigious central area of ​​the capital of Panama.

Our specialists in Panama have developed a service “Introduction tour for investors in real estate in Panama” , which will introduce you to the volume and range of housing offered in the capital, as well as beach real estate on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts .

Investment Programs provide a foreigner with temporary and permanent residence permits in Panama. All of them are based on certain rules and requirements that a foreign applicant must fulfill.

A number of investment visas allow a foreigner to become a citizen of Panama after five years of permanent residence in the state. In this case, a foreigner can obtain citizenship only through naturalization in the country, showing their economic and social attachment to Panama.

Of great importance in this matter will be not only the presence of financial and material assets in the country, but also the continuity of the term of permanent residence in the country.

The Panamanian authorities do not monitor the period of stay of foreign residents in Panama, it will be necessary to prove to the government that the requirements for permanent residence are met. Such confirmation can be, for example: payment of utilities, payment of any local taxes, the presence of a business in the country, and much more.

For those foreigners who do not aspire to claim Panamanian citizenship in the future, maintaining the status of “permanent resident” will be easy. The main thing is to come to Panama for one or two weeks at least once every two years, since the absence in the country for more than two years will jeopardize the status of permanent residence in the country.

Here are the most popular investment programs that citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet countries can apply to obtain permanent residence and citizenship.

1. Economic investor visa
2. Friendly countries visa
3. Business visa

Our company can advise you on the preparation of the necessary documents, and direct support in Panama, during the process of obtaining a residence permit.

Our resident property managers in Panama City will help you select and buy property safely, as well as recommend the best nearby private schools for your children. Send us an email to [email protected] and we will contact you.

International schools in Panama (city), School in Panama

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International Schools in Panama City

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Private or international schools in Panama are more likely to ensure that a student continues to have a successful career, and Panama City has a large number of these schools. These schools are highly respected as they are mostly international schools, many of which have a flagship school in a western country.

Notable private schools in Panama City:

• Panama International School
• href=”http://www.bostonschool.edu.pa/en/”> Boston International School
• French School
• Royal College of Panama
• Panama Metropolitan School

There is a complete list of international schools on our services website , Expat Quotes.

Panama Private School Fees

Most private schools require a one-time administrative fee of between $1,000 and $12,000. If more than one student is enrolled for a family, a discount may be available.

International Bachelor (IB)

The IB program is offered by several private schools. He studies under the International Baccalaureate Organization. All students study languages, social sciences, experimental sciences, mathematics and art.

The IB is divided into three programs covering the following age ranges:

1. Primary Years Program (PYP) ages 3-12
2. Middle Years Program (MYP) ages 11-16
3. Diploma Program (DP) aged 16-18

Modify 06/23/2018

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