San Jose, Costa Rica Report of what it's like to live there - 09/06/13
Personal Experiences from San Jose, Costa Rica
School Name:
SEAS International School
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
2, 5, and 8.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
My children are currently enrolled. This is the third year for our now fifth grader, the second year for our youngest, and the first year for our eighth grader.
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government, my husband is a Foreign Service Officer.
Admissions & Welcome:
1. Are the admissions and placement procedures clearly stated to prospective families, either on the school website or through other means of communication?
A--it seems very transparent to me. The administration is extremely open and communicative with families. Even before our children were moved into more advanced classes/work loads, their teachers consulted with me to make sure I thought the kids were ready for that, there is a real emphasis on team work.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A--the school works one-on-one with all families, open lines of communication are emphasized and, for new students in particular, the teachers really get to know who they are as individuals so they can create the best curriculum for them.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
The climate for each grade level that our children are in is remarkable. My kids are excited to go to school, excited to learn, and adore their teachers. The administration and teachers require discipline and respect (and effectively work with the children on the tools they need to fulfill this) but they have found a balance between those things being emphasized and the children being very nurtured in a fun and joyful environment.
2. For the following attributes, down to the next blank box, grade your experience at the school on a scale of A (excellent) to F (unacceptable/terrible) and provide comments:<br><br>Overall fair and equitable treatment of all students and families:
A--most children are American but there are some Costa Rican kids and children of other nationalities. All children and families are treated equal.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A--excellent, excellent, excellent. Communication is done through email, through teachers pulling me aside when I'm dropping the kids off, or however else it needs to happen. I communicate with various teachers pretty much on a daily basis and they are extremely available.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
A--this is a particularly important area to us as our children all seem to be advanced, operating above grade level and because our oldest skipped fifth grade, all of them need to be challenged above their grade level. Because SEAS is such a small school each child's various studies are tailored to his or her needs. For example, our fifth grader has proven to be quite advanced in math so her math teacher is moving her into the Middle School group. Our eighth grader is being challenged on a deeper level than his grade would dictate in Language Arts and is going to start doing High School level work in Social Studies. As far as learning difficulties, SEAS has U.S. credentialed special educators who work to the standards of U.S. laws. On staff they have a Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, and Reading Specialist. Again, because of the small class size the children work to their ability--be that above grade level, at grade level, or below grade level.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
A--after school activities rotate based on the interests of the students. So far we have Kempo Karate and a fashion design/sewing club. There has also been talk of a drama club, chess club, gardening club, and other activities--including a Friday night family movie night where families can stay and enjoy a movie with their kids and the SEAS family or decide it's time for a night out and, for a minimal fee, leave the kiddo/s to watch a movie.
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A--this applies to both personal high standards for behavior and academics.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A--homework at SEAS is not busy work, it is work that enhances each child's education and what they're studying. Our youngest doesn't receive homework (though you can request that if you want), our two oldest do but it's never arbitrary and even the spelling words that they are tested on each week, for example, fit into the vocabulary they are studying. It's not just about memorization, it's also knowing context and meaning. I feel it's very wholistic.
8. Administration-parent communication:
A--again, three times an excellent. The director greets each child, and the adults who drop them off, every morning, sees each child off at the end of the day, sends out emails about various things regarding SEAS, and is very open and proactive about communication. I communicate with her on a daily basis.
9. Teacher-student communication:
A-- again, excellent. Our kids absolutely adore their teachers and the teachers are very open with the kids. Expectations are clear and the teachers are extremely approachable. One of our kids used to feel quite anxious about asking his teachers for explanations if he didn't understand something, or for extra help, he feels none of that anxiety at SEAS.
10. Academics, answer the following questions "yes" or "no" with an explanation if appropriate:<br><br>Are there any classes or subjects where students are not appropriately challenged?
No.
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No, but it is available through the school both during school hours and in tutoring.
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
We don't need it but, based on people whose children, do, yes.
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Yes--because everything is individualized; a child who is gifted in Language Arts, Social Studies, etc. but struggles a bit with math (as is the case for one of our children) the area in which the child is gifted are areas where the child is challenged appropriately, operating with the teacher but with a curriculum that is independent from the rest of the class. Each child is treated as an individual and no child is ever made to feel badly because s/he isn't breezing through a subject or are treated superior because they excel in an area.
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Yes.
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
None, but if I felt one was missing I would feel completely comfortable going to the Director about it and I know that she would take my opinion seriously.
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
There are small fees for after school activities but discounts are given when there are siblings in the school.
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
None.
18. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes, all three of our children take Kempo Karate through the school, including tutoring in the summer.
19. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes.
20. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
None.
Academics & Resources:
1. What personal or academic counseling resources are available at this school? Is there a dedicated college counselor at the school? Is he/she familiar with universities worldwide?
A--college isn't an issue because the school, at this point, goes k-8, however there is also the option of support for distance learning for older kids. As far as support provided to moving on to higher grades, I've been very pleased. Our 12 year old will be entering High School next year and part of the reason we moved him to SEAS was because his academic needs were not being met at his previous school, we were worried he would not be prepared for HS. Now, just two weeks into the academic year, I have full confidence that he will be. I've spoken to his teachers about this specific issue and they are ensuring that he will be prepared--armed with the skill sets he needs, the knowledge about things like writing research papers and keeping organized, etc.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
A--the library is on the small side but does take up a room and is growing rapidly. There is emphasis on reading, to the point where the children who express a desire to read in their spare time will be sent home with books that their teachers believe will interest them. There's no pressure to fill out reading logs (which, in our experience, sucks the joy out of reading), reading is fun and is treated as such.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A--this might sound strange, my giving the school an A for this because they don't actually have a computer program. This is something that was discussed and it was decided that the philosophy of the school is such that the students should not be reliant upon laptops and internet in order to study, and that most of these kids are so computer savvy as it is that an additional emphasis on computer technology isn't needed. Personally, I love this. At our oldest son's previous school, the kids were attached to their laptops and to the internet, it was incredibly distracting and, ultimately, my husband and I believe, detrimental to our son's education.
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
A--each student takes physical education on different days throughout the week and outside play is something that happens regularly.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A--most classes have, literally, a handful of students and the one-on-one time each child has with a teacher is excellent.
6. Are Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses available in upper grades? If this is an IB school, is the full diploma required of all students?
A--again, because the school is so small, if a child needs Advanced Placement then that is what will be provided.
7. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes--I elaborated on that in the above section.
8. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
A--all of our kids take a music appreciation class (different classes for the younger and older kids) and they are getting a tremendous amount out of it. Since it is such a small school the activities really have been based on what people are interested in so there has been talk about after school music lessons as well as an after school drama club.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Yes--the teachers provide it in school and through appropriate homework.
11. What extra-curricular activities (including sports) are available at this school? Have your children participated in these activities? What activities do you feel are missing at the school?
Extracurricular activities and clubs rotate and are based upon the interests of the children. It's small so there are no organized sports but things like soccer clubs are readily available locally.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Yes--all of our kids have friends in the school and the school really has a sense of community about it, we call ourselves a family.
2. Are there are any problems with exclusionary behavior, cliques, or bullying at this school? Please describe any problems your children may have experienced in this area.
No--bullying, teasing, exclusion is absolutely not tolerated, there is zero tolerance for it. Many of the children who attend SEAS are exceptional in one way or another, many have experienced bullying (particularly at one of the large schools here that a lot of Americans attend). SEAS is a nurturing community where children know they will always be safe. Our daughter ended up at SEAS because she was tormented at her previous school here, and the response to that by the school was not adequate. She is an open, outgoing, vibrant child but, upon her arrival at SEAS, because of the bullying, she had shut down socially. Within a week of her being at SEAS she had blossomed into herself again.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
I believe the greatest strength of this school is in its philosophy of treating each child as an individual, nurturing each child's natural love of learning and curiosity, and working with kids who they know move around a lot and need to be resourceful and self-sufficient in many ways. The level of communication between teachers, the administration, and the families supports this philosophy and makes it really feel like we are all a team working for what is best for our children.
2. Greatest challenge?
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Absolutely, I wish we could take it with us wherever we go next!
