Balboa Academy

Balboa Academy is a private, culturally diverse school in Panama City for students aged 3 to 18, and part of the Inspired group of premium private schools. It offers a US research-based education organised in four stages: Preschool (ages 3 and 4), Elementary (5 to 10), Middle School (11 to 14) and High School (15 to 18), where students can take the Advanced Placement programme. The curriculum is built around five core competencies and five core values, and from the early years children are taught by subject specialists in English, French, Spanish, maths, science, drama, dance, music, PE and public speaking. Social and emotional learning runs through the counselling programme, and high school counsellors guide students through university selection and applications. Through Inspired, students can join global camps and exchange programmes, and the Nsouli Scholars and Inspired scholarship programmes fund places for outstanding applicants.

The current campus is in Ciudad del Saber, Clayton, and has three teaching buildings plus an athletics building with a gymnasium, PE facilities and a student space called the Dragon's Den. There are more than 80 classrooms, media centres, computer labs, science labs and multipurpose rooms, as well as athletic fields and playground areas, and students also use the Ciudad del Saber sports complex. A new campus in Costa Sur, backed by a USD 30 million investment from Inspired, is due to open in 2027 with an Olympic-size pool, a full athletics track, an indoor gym, labs, a library and a cafeteria; Middle and High School will move there while Clayton focuses on Pre-K and Elementary. Bus service, catered lunches and a school uniform are part of daily life.

Balboa Academy's after-school programme runs from Kindergarten to 12th grade and spans academic help, mentoring, youth development, the arts, sport and recreation. Recent options have included a bike club, introduction to soccer, chess, BusinessKids, an elementary choir, Wonder Art, cheerleading, yoga for younger children, the School of Rock music programme, track and field, beginners' swimming, a dance club and gymnastics. The Athletics Department uses the SPARK physical education programme and fields competitive teams on fields, courts, track and pool. High school students design and lead more than 20 service clubs that support the local community and earn the service points required for graduation.