The Spirit
(Love & Respect)

Equally as important as academics and the physical well-being of our students, love and belonging and self-esteem are addressed intentionally through every aspect of Quintral’s design. 

Every individual at Quintral is loved and appreciated exactly as they are. Every day students begin their morning with “Family Time” where they spend time getting to know and becoming known by their “family”. The time is spent building strong and healthy relationships while also learning what it means to be a good friend and good person and developing a personal sense of morals and ethics. Using this instruction as a guide, students are challenged to support and show love for their classmates in all environments. Hurtful words and behaviors are addressed, and, as the group holds itself accountable, students form strong bonds that breed a deep sense of belonging. In addition to being a part of their “family”, students realize that they are a vital part of Quintral as a school, Bariloche as a town, Argentina as a country and the Earth as a global citizen. Acceptance into these various forms of community encourages students and reminds them of their unique role in this world.

Not only must one be accepted into a group and develop a sense of belonging, but they must also receive appreciation, respect and recognition from others in order to develop healthy self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities. Recognition of each student begins with our Quintral birthday tea celebration. On each student’s birthday they have the honor of filling each of their classmate’s cups with tea as they receive a gift of encouragement from that friend. Celebrations extend beyond birthdays too as we celebrate a wide variety of holidays from various cultures and ethnicities in an attempt to open minds, share stories and always be inclusive of our international student body. At Quintral, diversity is celebrated and we incorporate cultural exchange into much of the school year in order to help develop a sense of pride in each person’s heritage. Another way that we build self esteem is through the assignment of various responsibilities to all students. As students fulfill their unique jobs around the school, they prove to themselves that they are competent, valuable and irreplaceable. Finally, through daily interaction between mixed-age students, younger children are lifted up by the attention and kindness they receive from older kids and the older students are reminded of their great responsibility in acting as role models for the always watchful eyes of their youngest friends.