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Manglares Discovery School

Panama, Playa Venao

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 3 - 12 years
Type Co-educational
Opened 2018
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Singapore Curriculum, American Curriculum
Taught languages English, Spanish
Strengths Outdoor Education, Visual and Creative Arts, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Primary School
Introduction

Manglares Discovery School is a PK-8 green school in the Playa Venao area of Panama. It offers a combo of Singapore Curriculum and American Curriculum, with a literacy program based on the science of reading and writing workshops to nurture creativity and self-expression. Mathematics follows the Singapore Math approach, emphasizing deep understanding, problem solving, and independent learning. The campus is a jungle setting with a waterfall and forest that inspire inquiry; students learn outdoors and explore the natural environment. Facilities include student-built forts and ziplines, and wildlife such as monkeys and birds observed on site. The school follows a holistic, whole-child approach addressing academic, cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, relational, and identity development. Extracurriculars include the Spooky Story Contest, Art Gallery, International Day, Young Entrepreneurs Project, and Surf-Tenibilidad Contest 2024, including an Energy Pavilion Made by Children. Manglares opened in 2018 and was founded by Aya Osuga and Scott Andrews.

FP6J+7X, Cañas, Los Santos Province, Panama

The Essentials

Manglares Discovery School has instruction in English, Spanish.

Location
Located in Venao West, Cañas Tonosi, Los Santos, Panama. The school sits in a jungle setting near Playa Venao.

Stages
Preschool through Grade 8 (PK-8).

Type
PK-8 green school.

School day structure
Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–2:00 pm.
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
Manglares Discovery School is led by two co-founders, Aya Osuga and Scott Andrews.
Fees
Application fees
- No publicly published application, registration, or enrollment fee amounts for the 2026/27 or 2025/26 academic year are listed for Manglares Discovery School.

Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year)
- No publicly published tuition schedule breaking down fees by year group, term, or annual total is available for Manglares Discovery School. The school identifies its programme as serving preschool (PK) through Grade 8, but specific per-grade or per-term tuition figures are not published.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- No publicly published billing schedule (termly/semesterly/monthly) or payment-term details are available. There is no publicly listed information about early-payment discounts, penalties for late payment, or installment options.

Boarding fees (if applicable)
- Manglares Discovery School operates as a day school for PK–Grade 8 and does not offer boarding; therefore no boarding fees apply.

Other costs or fees (uniforms, materials, trips, transport, meals, extracurriculars)
- No published schedule of additional mandatory or optional fees (uniforms, materials/supply fees, field trips, transport, lunch plans, extracurricular programme fees, or device/technology charges) is available. The school uses a digital enrollment form and parent pledge as part of admissions, but those public enrollment resources do not list itemised costs.

Refund information
- No publicly published refund, cancellation, or tuition-credit policy is available for enrollments, deposits, or fee payments.

Fee payment options (credit card, bank transfer, other)
- No publicly published list of accepted payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, payment platforms) is available. The school's public contact details are provided for fee and payment enquiries: hello@manglaresedu.com and +507-6427-6163.

Summary instruction for parents
- Manglares Discovery School does not publish a public, itemised fee schedule online for the requested academic years. To obtain the school's current application fee, per-grade tuition (per term and annual totals), billing schedule, additional charges, refund policy, and accepted payment methods, contact the school directly using the email hello@manglaresedu.com or phone +507-6427-6163.
Academics

Manglares Discovery School teaches Singapore Curriculum, American Curriculum for students aged 3 to 12.

Curriculum
The school serves students from preschool through Grade 8. It uses a holistic, nature-based learning environment addressing academic, cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, relational, and identity development. The literacy program emphasizes the science of reading and builds strong literacy skills. Writing is developed through writing workshops to nurture creativity and self-expression. Mathematics follows the Singapore Math approach, emphasizing deep understanding and problem solving. The program fosters critical thinking, hands-on exploration, and independent learning.

Exam Results
Students score high on benchmark tests, demonstrating a strong foundation in core subjects. The curriculum supports literacy, writing, and mathematics through structured programs. Benchmark performance reflects progress in reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning. The holistic, nature-based learning environment complements academic achievement by fostering curiosity and resilience.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Manglares Discovery School is a student-centered, inquiry-driven PK-8 green school and a vibrant, nurturing community. The school focuses on the academic, social, and emotional growth of students. Since opening in 2018, it has pursued a holistic 'whole child' approach, addressing academic, cognitive, socioemotional, physical, relational, and identity development. The curriculum emphasizes mastering the science of reading, writing through workshops, and math with the Singapore Math approach. Students engage in nature-based learning and hands-on activities in a forest environment to develop critical thinking, resilience, and independence.
Parent Experience

History
Manglares Discovery School opened in 2018. It is a student-centered, inquiry-driven green school serving PK-8. The About page indicates the range from preschool to Grade 7. Founders Aya Osuga and Scott Andrews are listed as Co-Founders in the Founding and Strategic Advisors section. The school is located in the Playa Venao area of Panama (Venao West, Cañas, Tonosi, Los Santos).

Community
Community-building activities include sending positive affirmation letters to at-risk youth on Valentine's Day. The school spent an afternoon with a permaculture team to learn about sustainability and coexistence in its ecosystem. Fifth and sixth graders prepared a lesson and presented it to younger students as a shared activity with local schools. The school learns cultural traditions from nearby communities.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Manglares Discovery School is a PK-8 green school located in a jungle setting. The campus is integrated into its surroundings, with a waterfall and forest that inspire inquiry. Students explore the natural environment and engage in outdoor learning; the campus includes student-built spaces such as forts and ziplines, and wildlife such as monkeys and birds are observed on visits to the grounds. The school emphasizes a holistic, whole-child approach and a community-driven environment that fosters curiosity and independence.

Academic Facilities
The curriculum emphasizes literacy through the science of reading, writing workshops, and a Singapore Math approach. Nature-based and inquiry-driven learning underpins academics, with a focus on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent learning. The program serves students from preschool through PK-8.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular experiences include Spooky Story Contest, Art Gallery, International Day, Young Entrepreneurs Project, and Surf-Tenibilidad Contest 2024, among other school-led community activities.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Arts & Creative
Each grade is offered one session of Art per week. The art curriculum is designed to incorporate elements of art, technique, and training the eye. Art is used to complement the scope and sequences of other subjects to flesh out classroom inquiries, and the community turns Main Street into a gallery through partnerships with local businesses.

Cultural & Language
International Day is a fun annual family event where families and students show off the cultures and traditions of various places in the world. The objective is to expose students to different cultures and learn about other places. Booths display games, food, poster boards, dances, and workshops, and students may present in front of the whole school.

Social & Hobbies
The 3rd Annual Community Story Contest is hosted by Manglares Discovery School. Stories can be funny, magical, mysterious, or spooky. Multiple formats are allowed: a written story, a short comic/graphic novel, or an audio/video storytelling performance. It is a community-wide event open to students across the area.

Community & Service
During the school fair, the combined grades raised $1,203 in one hour. The funds were used to purchase approximately 150 books for the library and to buy outdoor sports equipment and indoor classroom materials. The school also matched funds to purchase materials for new playground equipment.

Leadership & Professional
In 2023, the 4th–6th graders embarked on an entrepreneurship project, learning the process of building a business. They brainstormed goals, refined ideas, and developed a business plan, including product, target market, expenses, and pricing. A local CEO guest speaker provided feedback and students later wrote and presented a business pitch.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Manglares Discovery School participated in Surf-Tenibilidad 2024 and was awarded second place in the competition hosted by InterEnergy and EverGo. The proposal, An Energy Pavilion Made by Children, proposed an open-air museum to educate the wider community about sustainable practices and environmental challenges. The project aims to ignite environmental consciousness and lead regional sustainable initiatives.
School Events
The school has not added events
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