Dear Friends and Family of K’iin Beh,

I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and healthy during these uncertain times. K’iin Beh has not been immune from the challenges that all of us have faced in 2020. Nevertheless, remaining true to our charter and ethos, we remain optimistic and driven to continue to grow what we’ve built.

Thanks to your generosity over the last 9 months, we have been able to fully support the families and teachers of Centro Educativo K’iin Beh in their efforts to educate the children of Cristo Rey.
Our mission since the COVID-19 pandemic began has been twofold: to guarantee that all our students can continue to study and learn, even if within the new normal of virtual learning, and to support the people who make that learning possible, the teachers of K’iin Beh.

The pandemic has had a significantly greater impact on poor communities, and Cristo Rey is no exception. More than half of our students’ parents have lost their jobs, and 20 families have relocated away from greater Playa del Carmen region, unable to afford the cost of living. Because of this, we are more committed than ever to keeping our monthly tuition exceptionally low.

Everyone who attends K’iin Beh pays something, but all 322 students receive financial aid from the foundation, with tuition still starting as low as 300 pesos ($15) per month.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we retained our entire faculty and staff at full pay and benefits. We have also invested in technology for virtual learning, even installing an antenna to provide Internet connectivity to the entire community of Cristo Rey. Unfortunately, bringing the Internet to the community doesn’t always mean that the children can take advantage. Some families do not have access to tap water, electricity, or paved streets. In these cases, it’s understandably difficult for the family to justify the expense of the devices necessary for remote learning. This a gap that we hope you will help us bridge.

I am asking for your financial support to help us to continue our mission to provide exceptional learning, even if it must happen at a distance. To adapt to this new reality and continue to build for the future, we need to your support for the following:

ONE TIME COSTS –

Laptops for students for online classes – $40,000 USD
- Average cost per laptop, $150 USD
- 80% of our 322 students are taking their online classes via a smart phone
Blue light blocking computer glasses – $6,500 USD
- Average cost per pair of glasses, $20 USD
- 322 glasses for all students
Construction of a high school – $125,000 USD
- 4 complete classrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- 2 offices

MONTHLY COSTS –

Payroll – $17,500 USD / month
- This covers the salaries of 19 teachers and 15 administrative personnel
Monthly operational costs – $2,000 USD / month
- Services covered: internet, electricity, water, & school supplies

If you wish to contribute in any way above, please reach out to Jessica Kloecker (jessica.kloecker@kiinbeh.org) or visit our website (kiinbeh.org/donate) to make a donation.

We hope that soon, pending certain government regulations, we can offer in-person daycare along with extracurricular sport activities, including soccer, basketball, and dance lessons (all with the appropriate COVID-19 restrictions). We plan to follow of a rigid protocol, regularly testing our teachers and administrative team, as well as continuing to practice physical distancing. Our eagerness to support the education of our community will not come at the cost of allowing this disease to spread through the community.

I thank you, as always, for your support and generosity to fulfill our mission of providing quality bilingual education to low-income children throughout Playa del Carmen. Please reach out to me directly with any questions about the school.

Warm Greetings,
Daniel Scott
President, Fundación K’iin Beh

Happy Thanksgiving from Daniel H. Scott