Program Overview
Is your teen craving experiences and friendships in this time of COVID-19? Does he/she feel trapped at home under safer-at-home contingencies? School is likely to be online exclusively this first semester of school during the 2020-2021 academic year. What does that mean for kids’ mental health and academic development? The boarding program at Casa Carly allows students to remain in a quarantine bubble with peers under the guidance and supervision of caring, professional staff members. Casa Carly proposes a boarding program where 6th – 12th grade students participating in online school can live together in a communal, bilingual environment while engaging academically and socially with safety protocols in place to keep students healthy.
To be clear, this is NOT a school. Students must be enrolled in a school offering an online or distance program. Why board? This is the perfect opportunity for students to develop life skills like independence, time management, and balancing of study and social time. Students who have gone to overnight camp or have participated in boarding school programs have proven themselves more successful in university and early adulthood. Boarding students blur the lines between studies and social time, and academics are cool. Casa Carly creates an intentional community where student growth and development is the focal point, empowering students. This is an ideal time to turn COVID-19 confinement into a positive, growth-oriented experience.
Many of us are trying to raise global citizens. How do we do this while social distancing and with the implementation travel restrictions? We may not be able to travel at the moment, but the first step in developing a global perspective is understanding each other, encouraging one another to delve into projects while express ourselves, resolving social conflict as a team, and practicing tolerance and group cohesion. Armed with these skills, we are better equipped to travel beyond our community when the time is right. Casa Carly's boarding program provides the framework for students to mature and fine tune these important skills.
Housing
Participants live in the casitas at Casa Carly, a walled-in property on Aurora with ample student housing, garden areas and on-site meal service. Students share suites in a dormitory-like setting with 4 students per suite each with a private bathroom and kitchenette.
4-5 students per suite
Meals
Meals are served at Casa Carly prepared on site by our private cooks. Students have choices, and menus are developed weekly with student feedback. Menus are diverse and include Mexican, Italian, Asian and American cuisines. Vegetarians have diverse and interesting options, and students with dietary restrictions or allergies CAN be accommodated.
Supervision
Adult staff members live with the participants and are responsible for the well-being of the students, making sure they are healthy, participating in classes, and are integrating into the group and boarding environment. These staff members are well-versed in health, safety, adolescent needs, and group dynamics.
Academics
The academic program imparted by schools in San Miguel will be primarily online and virtual the first semester of 2020-2021. Students may access their classes with their classmates in residence or individually at Casa Carly via high-speed internet. Outdoor and indoor space with social distancing will be allotted for classes and when and if in-person classes can take place on a partial basis, Casa Carly will facility teacher visits at Casa Carly or elsewhere. Staff members will check in to make sure students are participating and working toward their academic best. Most teens are ready for some independence and thrive in an environment among like-minded students and supportive non-family adults!
Supervision and Safety
Students live all together in a walled-in property with the owner’s family and staff members. Students are well supervised throughout the day and the extent of the program. Students must attend all online classes, meals, and on-site functions. When ill or exhausted, resident counselors help to create options where the student is accounted for, safe, supervised. Casa Carly expects the highest level of academic and program participation and cooperation from students.
All students and parents must sign a student agreement: As stated in the agreement, the program strives to maintain a wholesome, lighthearted, and positively creative community! Participants in the past have been positive and cooperative with roommates, other students and staff members. The rules and limits of the program are intended to protect everyone (the participants, the program, and our surrounding community of San Miguel).
Please note that Casa Carly reserves the right to dismiss participants from the program at its discretion without reimbursement of fees if a student violates the student agreement or endangers his safety, the safety of another participant, or the safety of the program at large. It is well understood that students test limits – we allow for this within reason. We do not, however, accept any fighting, dangerous roughhousing, abusive practical jokes, vulgar language or racist/sexist remarks. Please consult the Parent Student Handbook for more details.
The program is geared toward the individual and is designed to help students reach their own goals. However, if you feel there is a problem (any program or resident issues that negatively affect a student’s experience), please call it to our attention: 415-152-8900 or Carly’s cell 415-114-0279. We hope to work with parents to ensure that each student has a fantastic experience.
COVID-19 Protocols
All student housing and areas of Casa Carly will be thoroughly sanitized prior to occupancy and will sit unoccupied for 72 hours before student arrival.
• All students must home-quarantine for 2 weeks prior to arrival to ensure the safety of all participants and staff members
• If there are under 8 participants, masks will only be required for students if there is a visitor to the property or on outings. Students should bring a supply of masks.
• If there are more than 8 participants, groups of cohorts will be formed. Within a cohort, students will not have to wear masks. While in the presence of other cohorts, masks will be required. Maximum participants 16 under current regulations.
• Casa Carly will abide by the protocols set forth by the Civil Protection and any evolution of those protocols.
• Visitors are not permitted.
• Students are not permitted to leave the property.
• Providers of food or delivery people will be permitted to enter for delivery to our front desk with appropriate masks/PPE. Likewise, staff members will leave the premises to make purchases for the property and program, keeping these outings to a minimum, wearing appropriate PPE.
• Staff members who go home at night and are not part of the quarantine bubble/community will wear appropriate PPE at all times on the property.
• If in-person classes are permitted at any time, new protocols will be developed for each stage of reopening only when it’s safe to do so and with the permission of parents.
• Additional protocol may be implemented at any time as research develops and needs change. Casa Carly’s boarding prefers to err on the side of safety for all!
Activities & Hobbies
Students are encouraged to stay active and continue with their artistic pursuits. Casa Carly will do everything possible to enable students to participate or practice these activities while keeping students safe within quarantine. While off-site classes may not be possible to keep the community safe, online classes or lessons may be a safe alternative. Students and staff can arrange an exchange leading activities, and outdoor excursions for hiking are a must!
Dates and Rates
January 31 - February 26: $23,500 MXN
Choosing Dates
First semester sessions for fall 2020 were a big hit. As we progress into winter, we'll be assessing month by month whether is feasible to continue considering whether schools continue online or switch to in-person and the level relative safety the pod can continue to offer. February session dates are now available for sign-up.
The Fine Print....
Students arriving in September or any subsequent date MUST quarantine for two weeks prior to arriving at Casa Carly. If any student or staff member is diagnosed with Covid-19, the program will be discontinued for 2 weeks. Following a 2-week at-home quarantine to make sure all participants are healthy, the program can resume again if deemed appropriate. Proportionate refunds will be issued for any period that the program cannot run or has to be canceled.
Boarding Team
Meet the individuals working and living with students.
Carly Cross
Carly is the director and founder of Casa Carly and MexArt, the only residential summer language and arts institute for teens in Mexico. She was raised in Philadelphia and Virginia, graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy and McGill University where she majored in oboe performance and psychology. Her strong international interests have led to cross-cultural education evidenced by her many semesters abroad and extensive travel. Carly directed Med-O-Lark Camp, a well-known arts camp in Maine for 300 11 to 15 year olds from 1994 – 2001. Having founded MexArt in San Miguel in 2000 and and having purchased the land where Casa Carly now stands in 2003, Carly and her daughter are permanent residents of San Miguel and run the boutique hotel business at Casa Carly. Cross cultural experiences and languages are still a priority and in recent years Carly has spent several significant stints of time in France. Through her learning experiences, she’s able to create a warm, non-competitive, creative environment for learning.
Carrie Haugh
Carrie is currently a bilingual counselor at The American School Foundation, Mexico City. She has a masters of science in education in psychology and counseling for children and adolescents with an advanced certificate in bilingual counseling. She also worked as the school counselor at The Academia International San Miguel de Allende for the school year 2017-2018. She spends summers counseling and facilitating service and leadership programs for high school students from the US. Carrie is also working on developing a project with Plaza Sesamo’s Social Impact Team to bring social emotional content and guidance to migrant children at the Mexicans borders. Carrie will start the school year with us at Casa Carly while her school in Mexico City is online.
Lydia Cuevas
Lydia, originally from Mexico City, has a degree in marketing and a masters in International Finance. After 13 years working in industry manufacturing in a role with financial projections, Lydia and her husband made the life changing decision to move to San Miguel. Working with Academia Internacional for two years, she wore many hats in roles such as public relations, internal/external communications, admissions, parent concerns, and administrative responsibilities. Since February 2018, Lydia has been the administrator and manager of Casa Carly overseeing every aspect from bookkeeping, guest reception, accreditation, and staff supervision ensuring that Casa Carly offered the best service possible.