Havana, Cuba Report of what it's like to live there - 08/05/11
Personal Experiences from Havana, Cuba
School Name:
International School of Havana
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?
kindergarten
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2007-2011
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
corporate posting
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: Very transparent. The School works hard to try and make ensure that every foreign student who applies is placed in a classroom
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A: Both academically and socially the school provides great support, including extra attention and tutoring for students who need to get up to speed in English.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
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: The school and parents are very welcoming and supportive. For many foreign families the school is the center of their community. There are relatively few local families.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
B:communication is good but it could be better. Other parents in my child's class complained that they weren't informed of academic problems until they had been going on for weeks.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
NA
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
C: The extracurricular activities in pre-school were very poor quality. They were much better in kindergarten. But team sports not an option due to size of school and lack of facilities
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B+: The teachers do a good job of challenging students who are often at very different academic levels, due in part to language skills.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B+: In kindergarten it was a bit uneven, coming in fits and starts. but overall i think both quantity and quality were correct.
8. Administration-parent communication:
B-: broadly speaking, communication is good. a weekly newsletter keeps parents up to date. However, my experience is that when individual problems arise the administration tends to be defensive rather than seek solutions.
9. Teacher-student communication:
A-: in kindergarten, the communication was great.
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
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
NA
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
NA
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
No. It offers a small variety, but not a wide variety
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
Needs to improve extracurriculars, but the school has hired a new extracurricular director for 2011-2012 who should address that problem.
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
No
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
More arts and sports
18. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes
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. it is a very international school, very welcoming of all nationalities.
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?
NA
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
B: There is a good, well-stocked library.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
B-: It is fine for younger kids, but Cuba's generally miserable Internet connectivity and access to IT technology limit options in older grades
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
B-: There is a wide range of individual sports available with excellent staff, but serious limitations on team sports due to the size of the school and the limited facilities
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
B+: In kindergarten it was 24/2.
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: available in high school
7. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
8. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
B: At the kindergarten level, the art activities are sufficient but options in later years are limited and not sufficiently developed
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.
No
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?
Yes. But not a wide range.
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
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. Not at all.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
The sense of community and strong core academics
2. Greatest challenge?
sports and extracurriculars and science in upper levels
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes. My son spent his first four years of school there, loved teachers and other kids. My impression visiting friends and family abroad is that he is right no track academically, but has had a very enriching experience.
