Nido Curriculum - INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NIDO DE AGUILAS

At Nido de Aguilas, excellence in academics is complemented by dynamic arts and athletics programs, guidance in social/emotional learning, service learning and community outreach, and a tradition of outdoor education. Our world-class faculty has a richness of experience and education that, when combined with dynamic individual teaching styles, fully engages students in their learning and are happy to be at school each morning.

All courses at Nido are taught in English, with the exception of foreign language courses and the Chilean National Plan courses in the High School. Language acquisition support is provided for students entering with limited proficiency in English. Every student in Kinder 2 through Grade 12 is required to take a Spanish class each term.

Nido is divided into four divisions: the Early Years School, the Elementary School, the Middle School, and the High School. Curriculum planning takes place both within and across the divisions to ensure a coherent, coordinated educational experience in which learning and knowledge are cumulative. In this way, Nido students feel themselves growing in confidence and ability and are open to greater challenges and broader horizons with every passing year.

Early Years School

Middle School

Nido’s academic program in the Middle School, serving Grades 6-8 consists of five core subject areas: humanities, science, math, Spanish and PE and Health. Our encore program compliments our core subjects and throughout middle school, students select courses within the categories of performing arts, visual arts and technology. Exploratory course are short, experiential courses where students connect authentically, explore with curiosity and act with purpose.

The Middle School advisory program teaches students skills linked to social emotional learning. These lessons equip students with the necessary tools and strategies needed to take responsibility for their own learning and personal growth, to better understand their individual abilities and contributions to a community of learners and to learn how to lead a balanced, healthy life.

Elementary School
High School

Elementary School

Through an inquiry-based approach, our students in Kinder 2 - Grade 5 become independent thinkers and develop problem-solving skills that help them thrive in an ever-changing world. The Elementary School’s core program includes English/language arts, math, science, social studies, and Spanish, with supplementary instruction in music, art, computer skills, and physical education. Our teachers deliver an integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum that connects the various subjects of study, providing students with a seamless learning experience and encouraging them to discover connections between school work and the other parts of their lives. Nido's ES MakerLab and Learning Commons encourage the type of engagement and ingenuity central to Nido's mission and values.

High School

Nido’s High School (Grades 9-12) offers three programs of study: the North American/Nido Diploma, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, and the Chilean National Program Diploma. Many students pursue two diplomas, and some earn all three. All High School students take courses designed for the North American/Nido diploma curriculum, although students pursuing the other two diplomas will make selected course substitutions in fulfillment of their chosen diploma requirements. Students seeking the Chilean National Program diploma take a subset of courses, taught in Spanish, as prescribed by the Chilean Ministry of Education, while IB students select the required number of courses from Nido’s IB curricular offerings.

Besides ensuring breadth and depth of knowledge in core language, literature, history, science, and math subjects, our High School offers a wide array of electives in the arts, design and technology, the social sciences, foreign languages, and health, wellness, and physical fitness. All students participate in outdoor education and service learning, with a focus on teaching leadership, stewardship, and citizenship through meaningful, impactful, and consequential experiences.

Although students are taught to value the importance of content area mastery, the key question asked in each course is “What do you think?” This is reflected in our Harkness Classrooms and in our inquiry-based learning curriculum and supports our mission to challenge students to be fully engaged in their learning and in the world around them. Each student graduates from Nido prepared not only to thrive at any of the world’s finest universities or colleges but also to pursue his or her goals and passions, make a positive difference in the world, and lead a values-driven, happy life.

Assessment

At Nido, we value a love of learning, academic excellence, and individual student growth. In the Early Years School and the Elementary School, Nido uses a standards-based teaching and learning system to assess student performance and progress.

In EYS students, we look for evidence of meeting developmental milestones, and teachers guide students along this important foundational journey. In the Elementary School, students receive a standards based report card designed to communicate accurate information about student progress relative to Nido's educational standards. The Middle and High Schools use a numeric grading scale, and teachers explain very clearly what their expectations are with each assignment or examination and give detailed feedback on student work.

In all divisions, teachers encourage students to embrace a growth mindset, learning from their mistakes and understanding that talent and ability improve with diligence, commitment, and self-confidence.

Nido evaluates student and curricular performance through many different means of assessment, including standardized testing. Nido regularly uses the MAP, OLSAT, SIMCE, and SSAT to assess student progress, depending on grade level. To assist students applying to gifted and talented enrichment programs, to colleges and universities, for scholarships, and for college credit, Nido assists with the PSAT, SAT, ACT, PSU, IB External Assessment, and AP Content Area Exams.