HISTORY

In the early part of 1988 Bonita Hedrick Justice was doing what she loved most, directing the daily management of her family of eight children, which included home schooling the six younger children that remained at home and keeping in touch with her two older children who had completed home schooling and were enrolled in a major U.S. university.

Mrs. Justice was approached by some U.S. families living in Guatemala with the request that she apply her education and experience towards establishing a private school with small classes and dedicated teachers that could meet the needs of their highly motivated children. Upon presenting the idea to her husband, he encouraged her and resolved to work through the financial and legal side of the venture. Since the school would work with highly motivated students in an accelerated program, it was named “The Accelerated Learning Center”. On April 4, 1988, the school was formed and began operating as a private school, offering a unique U.S. curriculum, small classes and music everyday for all students.

In its second year of operation, at the insistence of parents working for U.S. AID and the U.S. Department of State, the school received a visit from a representative of the Overseas Schools Division of the U.S. Department of State and was soon approved for Dependents of that agency. The Accelerated Learning Center quickly earned recognition as a quality educational institution in the Guatemalan international community.

In 1994, while maintaining the original concepts that motivated the school’s founding, its name was changed to Equity American School. It has remained a small school. Mrs. Justice never aspired to develop a large school. Her goal was quality in a safe, motivating environment, which also meant small. The school maintains the original concepts of well-prepared and dedicated teachers leading small classes of motivated children.

ORGANIZATION

The Equity American School, S.A. is a Guatemalan corporation. It is a duly licensed and authorized for profit corporation that pays taxes in Guatemala and is governed by a board of five corporate officers. Corporate goals and policies are established by the Board of Directors and communicated to the School Administration.

Operational policy and procedures are determined by the School Directors with input and implementation by the School Administration. The Administration, with the help of assistants and staff, are responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of the school. The School Administration consists of a Director, an Executive Director, an Elementary School Principal, an Upper School Principal and a General Manager.

The school is affiliated and supported by the Equity American Schools Foundation based in Texas. The Texas Foundation supports the school in Guatemala in various ways, including the recruitment of qualified staff and the purchase and shipping of materials and equipment.

We maintain a highly qualified teaching staff that identifies with our philosophy of being a good example; of gently leading our students through well planned and organized lessons and untiring positive reinforcement. As a rule, our full-time teachers hold university degrees and love teaching.               

Transportation

We use small buses for easy movement and security throughout zones 9, 10,13, 14, 15, Cayalá area of Zone 16 and El Salvador Highway. All buses have GPS tracking on board. Our bus drivers and monitors also love working with children and are experts in managing their responsibilities. They maintain contact with the school and the U.S. Embassy through radios and cell phones for added security.

School Year

The school year consists of 180 school days, beginning the first week of August and ending the last of May. Classes are recessed for approximately one month from Friday of the first week of December until the third or fourth of January and for the week before Easter.

School Day:

7:45 AM to 1:00 PM - Pre-kinder and kindergarten

7:45 AM to 2:30 PM - First through twelfth grades, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when most students stay until 3:30 PM. Seventh through tenth grades attend physical education, while elementary students participate in an after school activities program.