Upper School News

Monday, April 7, 2025. It’s the first day back after Week Without Walls, and the middle school feels like it’s shaking awake from a long nap.

Backpacks thump against lockers. Sneakers squeak and slap against the polished floor in a rhythm of reunion. Laughter bursts from every corner — big belly laughs, gasping giggles, the kind that spill out when stories are too good to hold in.

“Dude! You will not believe what animals we saw in the ocean while diving—”
 “No way! Did it hurt when you got hit by your surfboard?!”
 “I missed you guys so much it’s embarrassing!”

The voices layer over one another, a chaotic symphony, retellings, and the sweet relief of familiar faces. Metal locker doors clang open and slam shut. In the middle of it all, the air vibrates with something more than just sound. It’s joy — unstoppable joy — echoing off the lockers and walls, and spilling out through every open doorway. The kind of joy that only happens when you’ve been apart for a while, and now, finally, you’re back where you belong.

These were just some of the reactions heard from students returning to school after many experiential, immersive learning experiences that Middle School students participated in during this year's Week Without Walls.  The trips are an integral part of the international school experience. Students took part in 6 different experiences across Brazil and Brasilia including: diving in Paraty, surfing in Florianopolis, exploring colonial history and the outdoors in Pirenopolis, serving the community through different projects at school, becoming marine biologists aboard boats in Paraty, and wildlife and nature adventures in Bonito & Pantanal.

Borrowing from the school's mission to be Bold in Vision, Week Without Walls experiences were designed to allow for experiential learning, hands-on lessons, and to push students beyond their comfort zones.  

We are so thankful and grateful to all of the students, Middle School teachers, Ms. Rafaella Neves, Ms. Bianca Bree, Ms. Diva, RELP Turismo and our EAB parents for making this year's trips a huge success. We can't wait for next year's Week Without Walls!