SCHOOL MISSION: “Colegio Bolivar is a bilingual community of creative learners which inspires its members to live our school values as catalysts of change who incorporate multiple perspectives and commit to the highest aspirations for the welfare of the individual, society, and Earth.”
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY
Colegio Bolivar, founded in 1947, is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory school governed by an appointed board of trustees. Classes are taught in a bilingual (North American English-based) environment.
The school is divided into pre-primary (Kindergarten 4, Kindergarten 5, grade 1), primary (grades 2-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12), with a total of 1,245 students. There are currently 385 students enrolled in High School.
Colegio Bolivar is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/COGNIA and the Colombian Ministry of Education. Seniors graduate with both the US High School Diploma and the Colombian Bachillerato. The school is located on a 35-acre campus in Pance, a residential suburb of Cali.
HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY AND STUDENT BODY
There are 59 High School staff members, 47 of which are teaching faculty. All faculty members hold university degrees and 35 hold advanced degrees. The average number of years teaching experience is 19. There are 4 counselors, 1 psychometrist, 1 academic coach, 1 STEM & Innovation Coordinator, and 6 P.E. coaches on the High School campus. Breaking down the nationalities of the High School staff, there are 11 individuals from the United
University Attendance 2021-2025
States, 46 from Colombia, 1 from Canada, and 1 from the United Kingdom. The student/teacher ratio is currently 8:1. Members of the student body are from upper socioeconomic levels and are all bilingual. Their breakdown by nationality is as follows: 80% Colombian, 2% North American, 3% Other and 15% dual-citizen.
Advanced Placement (AP) Results
Bolivar 2025
GRADING SYSTEM/RANK/GPA/BLOCK SCHEDULING
The Colombian Ministry of Education has mandated an evaluation system which reports student achievement measured against the objectives of a course. A Colegio Bolivar student’s overall achievement in a course is an average of the objectives reported on a 4.0 scale, a 2.0 being the minimum passing grade.
Students are ranked at the end of their third and fourth years based on their cumulative GPA of all their subjects, except PE 9 and 10 and online
courses. New students, 10-12, and students who missed 9, 10, or 11 are not ranked. GPA and Rank are based on year-end grades. All courses are designed to prepare students for rigorous academic work at the university level. All high school courses meet for 70 minutes, five times every eight school days, for 40 weeks. All AP class grades are enhanced 0.2 points (except online courses).
Accredited by: the Colombian Ministry of Education & Cognia, a global nonprofit working in over 80 countries, serving 36,000 institutions, 25 million students, and five million educators every day. Associated with: Cognia - The Tri-Association - International ACAC - ACCAS Association
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Colegio Bolivar offers 20 Advanced Placement (AP) classes, as well as online options (*new 2024-5 and not available to all students/grade levels):
• Biology
• Calculus AB
• Chemistry
• English Language
• Physics I
There are also Pre-AP courses available:
• Algebra 1*
• Algebra 2*
• World History
• Art/Design 2D & 3D
• Statistics
• Computer Science Principles
• Spanish Literature*
• Biology*
• Chemistry*
• Computer Science A
• English Literature
• Human Geography*
• Environmental Science*
• English Seminar*
• English*
• Geometry & Statistics*
COMMUNITY SERVICE
The school’s mission is "to commit to the highest aspirations for the well-being of the individual, society, and the Earth." This involves recognizing different realities and contributing to them positively, indicating a community effort where there is mutual benefit. To achieve this, several action lines are in place:
• Service Learning Class: Created to fulfill the requirement of the National Ministry of Education regarding the 80 hours of mandatory social service. It is offered within the elective program for 8th, 9th, and 10th grades; each student takes this class only once and can choose which grade to take it. The class aims for students to design and execute socio-environmental projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals within a specific community. This year, to complete the transition to the new system of Mandatory Service in the Service Learning class, extracurricular sessions will be available for two groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• GIN Class: An elective for 11th-grade students who wish to deepen their Service Learning experience with higher academic demands.
• US Government & Politics*
• Macroeconomics*
• Psychology*
• Precalculus*
• Spanish Language & Culture*
• World History & Geography*
• Grade-level Activities: Starting from Kindergarten 4, several activities are carried out each year with a specific institution, contributing to its well-being and fostering mutual understanding.
• Volunteering by students, teachers, and parents: Self-managed projects aimed at contributing to a specific community with regular meetings. Attendance at specific events promoted by the school.
Some of the community partners of Colegio Bolívar include: Pance Educational Institution, La Trinidad School, Liceo La Amistad, Divina Providencia, Madre Dios, Cottolengo Foundation, Chiquitines Foundation, Pazos Foundation, and TOM (workers, operators, and transportation of Colegio Bolívar).
Throughout their education at the school, most students complete more than the 80 hours of social service required; additionally, teachers and families have the opportunity to be part of the institution's culture of social and environmental commitment.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
There are a considerable number of extracurricular opportunities available to Colegio Bolivar students. They are encouraged to participate in activities including, but not limited to, athletics, the arts, academics, social service, and politics. This ties back to the school mission in that the students’ involvement in extracurricular activities helps them develop, and eventually become “catalysts of change”. Among these projects and activities are
• Social Commitment Club
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Peer Tutoring
• Book Reading
Model U.N., Student Ambassador, math competitions, National Honor Society, Poetry Festival, TRIBUNA Magazine, yearbook staff, varsity sports, Global Issues Network, Music/Arts Festival of Armenia, Voluntary Social Service, Student Council, School Musical and Community Service Committees. High school sports include varsity soccer, volleyball, swimming, basketball, and softball/baseball.
EXAMPLES OF STUDENT-LED CLUBS
• Environmental
• Marketing
• STEM
• Philosophy
• Animal Protection/Cruelty-Free
• Gender Sexuality Alliance
• Don Simon Coffee
• Chess
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
• Student Health Brigade
• Entrepreneurship
• Film
Juniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 are eligible to become members of the National Honor Society. Students who have attained this grade point average must also demonstrate exemplary scholarship, character, citizenship, service, and leadership in order to be invited to become members. NJHS runs from Middle school through 9th grade. Grade point averages from 9th and 10th grades are used to establish qualification for NHS in 11th grade.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND CURRICULUM FOR THE 2025-2026 SENIOR CLASS
In addition to the above required credits all seniors must have participated in a job shadowing activity referred to as Career Week, as well as complet-
ed a Senior Project which includes an oral presentation and research paper.
HIGH SCHOOL CORE OPTIONS/ELECTIVES
High School students are enrolled in a Double Curriculum Program which awards them both the US High School Diploma as well as the Colombian Bachillerato upon graduation.
Therefore, students have a highly rigorous academic schedule which means limited opportunities for taking electives (1-2 electives per year depending on the grade level).
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES
CB CLASS OF 2023-25
Of the 93 seniors in the group, 50 (55%) will be doing their undergraduate studies abroad in Spain, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, France, and the United States, with the possibility of another 2 who are first doing their “gap year” before completing applications and making decisions. 28 (possibly 29) seniors or 30% of the total class are US-bound. Internationally, there was a total of 11 acceptances in tier 1 institutions, and we have the honor to say that we will have students attending Columbia, U Wisconsin, Bocconi, Imperial, and Groningen among many other fine institutions in Fall 2025. The total amount of international scholarships offered to the Class of 2025 reached USD$ 3,500,000 (for an average of 4 years of study).
Bold type indicates accepted place of study; * indicates an offer of financial aid/scholarship **indicates athletic scholarship
