Asuncion - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
We have been happy with the American School of Asuncion (ASA), with children in elementary-, middle-, and high school. The school consists of mostly Paraguayan students, with some expats/embassy kids. Some folks comment that their kids have had a hard time feeling welcomed/integrated; that hasn't been our experience. Our kids are social/outgoing, which I think helps. PRO TIP: if your child makes a connection at school, invite that family over for a BBQ. I think part of the issue is the perception that embassy folks stick together and don't try to integrate since they're here for a short period (2-3 years). By inviting a family over, you help break through that barrier, and BBQs are part of the local culture. The school offers a lot of after-school sports and activities, and include soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, chess, robotics, art, and more. For high school, if your child has some gumption, he/she can thrive here. We have a local friend whose daughter got into half of the Ivy League schools; she took initiative for things and teachers/admin really supported her. - Aug 2022
The international school for Asuncion is the American School of Asuncion (ASA). It is a very modern school, with a small track, soccer fields and playgrounds. Our experience in grade school has been overall positive - easy communication with teachers, 2 playground breaks, and after-school sports/clubs. For higher grades, I have heard that STEM is lacking and there isn't a strong Art/Theater program. Most of the day is in English with just an hour spent on Spanish. For families looking for Spanish immersion, other options like Santa Elena or Colegio del Sol would be a better fit. - Aug 2022
The American school is here. Not sure about others. - Jan 2021
I teach at the American School and have some serious issues as a teacher, however most embassy staff seem generally happy with the education their kids receive but struggle with being accepted with the Paraguayan parents and can have issues with the communication from them. I think the lower elementary kids see less of a break between Paraguayan and non-Paraguayan kids, but in the upper elementary where I am there is not a lot of intermingling between American and Paraguayan kids. The lack of intermingling is due to the fact that most Paraguayan kids at the school are related to one another, or have been in the same school since Kinder4. That said, there is a new Director General who is moving things in a great direction. A number of other schools have Embassy kids too: American Christian Academy (ACA) has made some people very happy. THere is also Pais, a German School I think, and a Montessori School. - Jun 2019
American School of Asuncion is the only one I know. It has a great reputation and is a beautiful campus. - Aug 2018
We've had our child at the American school and have had a good experience with the curriculum and the teachers. There are a lot of extracurricular activities on offer as well ranging from soccer, basketball to the kindness and chess clubs. There is a little something for every kid. - Jun 2018
There are two schools used primarily by the embassy. ASA (American School of Asuncion) is used by most families and has good reviews for the younger grades but it sounds like there may be issues with the older grades. PAIS, or the Pan American International School is currently used by one family and they seem very happy. It is a bit further for the Embassy. Our four children are in the French school and we love it because it is small, inclusive, welcoming and they are very supportive! - May 2016
The American School of Asuncion is okay, not great. It's not very American and not very international. Most of the children there are Paraguayan. Many of the teachers are American and the administrators are American. The parents are overly involved in the school. The kids are kind of spoiled. I am looking forward to moving on. - Sep 2015
There are many schools here that have good reputations. One thing that limits choice is the school year. There are only a few schools that have children start the school year in August and finish their grade in June. Other than several of the international schools, most others start the school year in February and finish in December. Our personal experience has been with a small school called PAIS or Pan American International School. We have been happy there. They have Kindergarten, 3-12th grade. Class size is about 10 or 12 per grade. The community is mostly middle class Paraguayans or long-term expats. The teachers are Paraguayans with high levels of English proficiency. My kids felt like they were friends with everyone in their class immediately. The classes are so small that it is almost impossible to exclude anyone-they need you for a simple game of kickball! My children speak a lot of Spanish there. Most classes are in English, but the children mostly speak Spanish everywhere in school except during academics. I think my 3 children have learned a lot there. I recently had them tested using Massachusetts Schools Standarized Tests for their grades and they did excellent. - Apr 2015
American School of Asuncion is the primary international school and where most embassy kids go. There are other options but less frequently attended. - Aug 2014
ASA - where most kids attend, is okay. Not great but not horrible. I do not recommend children with special needs or high schoolers. PAIS - A few families go here. They tend to be a little more user-friendly, but don't have the same standards as ASA. They are a little bit farther away from housing. They have a smaller classroom size than ASA. Currently there is no embassy bus because there are not enough students attending. ACA - Christian school. Some people love it. They too are easy to work with, but don't have the same standards. They are very close to ASA but the Embassy does not provide a bus for them.They will not accept, Jews, Muslims, Mormons etc. - Jul 2013
I have no kids in school, but ASA is popular. - Aug 2011
They are okay. Theres 3, most go to the american school. Don't expect your kid to become Einstein, or even dan quayle from the school - Jun 2011
There are 3 schools most people send their kids to:the American School of Asuncion (ASA), Paraguayan American International School (PAIS), and the Christian Academy. Most send their kids to ASA.ASA has US and Canadian certified teachers and Paraguay certified Spanish teachers. They have a drama, art, and music departments. The only downside is that most of the kids are Paraguayan and have gone to the school, known each other from kindergarten. The kids, while friendly, are not liable to reach out to incoming American kids. And, if you have older teens (like I do) you might have more difficulty because the social circles are very difficult, if not impossible to become a part of. Many teens are very unhappy here as a result. My middle school child is satisfied, but not overly enthusiastic. We keep him busy though, so he's not dwelling on the "no friends in Paraguay" aspect so much. We do know many other teens and pre-teens who are miserable though because of the no friend aspect. So, that should be taken into consideration. PAIS is considered an "okay" alternative to ASA -- most of the teachers are Paraguayan and non-native speakers of English -- this is fine if one is not teaching English, but they do have non-native speakers teaching English as well. They have smaller class sizes which some people prefer. The Christian Academy also has smaller class sizes and non-native speakers/non-certified teachers teaching as well. The downside from what I've heard is that many of the kids speak Korean on the playground and therefore, American kids have a hard time making friends. - Feb 2011
American School of Asuncion, Pan American International School, American Christian Academy, french and german schools, too. All are ok from what I understand. None are great. - Apr 2010
