Colegio San Carlos
Colegio San Carlos is an all-male, private, bilingual (English and Spanish) school in Bogotá, Colombia. The school has been recognized as the source of many national leaders.[1]
The school works under the auspice of the Benedictine Monasterio de Tibati. It enrolls 1,400 students in grades Transition through 11th grade which is equivalent to 1st through 12th grades or a combined Primary and Secondary education in the United States
The school's motto, Ora et Labora (Pray and Work), is based on the teachings of Saint Benedict.
History
In April 1960, Abbot Ignatius Hunkler received an invitation from Archbishop Luis Concha Córdoba to establish a boys school in Bogotá, Colombia. The Abbot invited him to the Abbey in order to present this proposal to the monastic community. He went there, and the monks speedily agreed to accept the task. The monks Lawrence Wagner, Frederic Mundt, Anselm Ruelle and Adrian Mundt were sent to Puerto Rico in June to learn Spanish. They arrived to Bogotá on August 6, 1960, the same day the city was celebrating its date of foundation (it was founded in 1538). Immediately the monks began preparations to start a school. The school opened its doors in the 4th of February 1961. Since the 1960s the school has been educating future scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and many others to be leaders in their professions and their communities.
Directors
- Principal: Father Francis Wehri O.S.B.
- Academic Vice-principal: Jorge Celis
- Administrative Vice-principal: Juan Fernando Corral
- Primary School Director: Daniel Sarmiento
Principals
- Father Francis Wehri (1965–Present); in August 2007 Father Francis was awarded the Cruz de Boyacá (Cross of Boyacá), the highest honor bestowed by the Colombian government.
- Mr. Jorge Celis (secondary school)
- Mr. Daniel Sarmiento (primary school)
Notable teachers
- Rev. Father Francis Wheri OSB - PRINCIPAL
- Rev. Father Gonzalo Blanco OSB
- Rev. Father Manuel Cely OSB
- Rev. Father Phillip Vanderlin OSB
- Sister Mary Assumpta Directora 66
- Gary Ott 70
- Alfredo Lago 66
- Frank Novosel 66
- Katheline Curran 66
- David Kardong 66
- Enrique Hernandez 66
- Otto Velez 77
- Alfredo Lago 67
- Alvaro Martinez 67
- Camilo Merizalde 67
- Derry Millar 67
- Francis Novosel 67
- Luz de Vargas 67
- David Olson 67
- Paul Bena Zeraf 67
- Nik Taylot 67
- Rafael G Viera 67
- Ramon Fayad 67
- Tino Christofilis 67
- William Bravin 67
- Rev. Father Martin Fisher 70
- Paul Bene 70
- Leopoldo Cabrera Perdomo 70
- Luz Carmenza Viera 70
- Martin Duffy 70
- Rev. Father Muggli 70
- Hugo Castelblanco Sierra 70
- Rev. Sister Antoinette 70
- Elvina de Cawley 84
- Mrs. Alejandra Posada
- Mr. Jorge Enrique Celis Melo, Secondary School Director
- Mr. Daniel Sarmiento, Actual primary school director
- Mrs. Alice de Cuervo, primary school director from 1982 until her expiration in 2003 - died on 2010
- Mr. Julio Morales (until 2010 - died on February 2011), Chemistry teacher
- Mr. Walter Diaz
- Mrs. Martha Restrepo
- Mr. Martin Leo Martin Ragon
- Mr. Fernando Valencia
- Mrs. Angela Torres
- Mrs: Ximena Guzmán
- Mr. David Valencia
- Mr. Javier Gómez
- Mr. David Aguirre M.
- Mr. Héctor Carranza, geometry teacher
- Mrs. Maria Nelsy Gómez de Martinez, Mathematics and Chemistry Teacher
- Mrs. Ana Plata de Rodríguez, Science teacher
- Mr. Sergio Cardenas
- Mrs. Luz Adriana Gomez Galvis
- Mr. Juan Pablo Moya Hoyos
- Mrs. Pilar Gonzalez
- Mr. Juan Carlos Muñoz
- Mr. Rodrigo Huertas
- Mr. Helbert Ballestas
- Mr. Nicolás Gómez A.
- Mr. Andres Rubiano
- Mr. Robert Pagliazzo
- Mrs. Lilina Camacho
- Mrs. Carolina Álvarez
- Mrs. María F. de Umaña
- Mrs. Clara L. Duque
- Mrs. Teresita Herrera
- Mrs. Patricia Montealegre
- Mrs. Margarita Pacheco
- Mrs. Cristina Delgado de Neira
- Mrs. Lucía Moncada
- Mrs. Natalia Balcázar
- Mrs. Diana Castellanos
- Mrs. Constanza Smith de Martinez
- Mrs. Marta P. Ramírez
- Mrs. María E. Jiménez
- Mrs. Ximena Ovalle
- Mrs. Andrea Manrique
- Mr. Jaime Alberto Rueda M.
- Mr. Andres Guzmán V.
- Mr. Juan José Fernández C.
- Mr. Fabio Rodríguez
- Mr. Elías Correa
- Mr. Frncisco Duarte
- Mr. Germán Rodríguez
- Mr. Álvaro Torres
- Mrs. Greta Rodríguez
- Mrs. Luz Estela Marín
- Mrs. Maria Constanza Bernal
Notable alumni
Alumni from San Carlos include:
- Luis Fernando Santos Calderón, President of Casa Editorial El Tiempo
- Francisco Santos Calderón, former Vice President of Colombia (2002–2010)
- Rafael Santos Calderón, editor of El Tiempo
- Miguel Silva Pinzon, Founder, FD Gravitas and Gatopardo
- Mauricio Rodríguez Múnera, Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom, founder and editor of Portafolio
- Andrés Cabas, Musician
- Miguel Gómez, Photographer
- Jorge Mario Eastman, Deputy Minister of Defense
- Andrés Pastrana Arango, former President of Colombia (1998-2002)
- Gabriel Silva Lujan, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, Minister of National Defence, and General Manager of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia
- Andrés Cepeda, Musician (until 8th grade)
- Jorge Silva Luján, President of Microsoft Latino America
- Alberto Calderón, Vice President of BHP Billiton
- Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank
- Miguel Gómez Martínez, Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia
- Juan Manuel Santos Calderón (until 9th grade) President of Colombia
- Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutiérrez, President of Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores, SA
Athletics
The school belongs to the UNCOLI Activities Association. Students are encouraged to participate in athletics from a young age, especially soccer, basketball and volleyball. Competitive tournaments with other UNCOLI schools are available in the following age categories:
- Mayores (Grades 11 and 10)
- Juvenil (Grades 9 and 8)
- Infantil (Grades 7 and 6)
- Pre-Infantil (Grades 5 and 4)
- Benjamines (Grade 3, non-sanctioned)
The school is equipped with 5 full sized soccer fields, 8 outdoor basketball courts, 5 outdoor volleyball courts, a 400m outdoor track and a multi-purpose indoor gym used for basketball and volleyball competitions. In Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball, the school has won in its history over more than 250 titles making it the most successful in the UNCOLI history.
Students abroad
The school's average (during its 50 years) in the Colombian National ICFES examn is in between the first and third place, neing recognized as the best school of Colombia. San Carlos School consistently places around 15% of its graduates in foreign universities..
The school has not adopted any international teaching system such as AP or IB. All graduating students must take the ICFES standardized exam. Students wishing to study abroad are encouraged to sit for standardized tests such as the SAT or the ACT.
References
External links