Berlin, Germany Report of what it's like to live there - 04/11/14
Personal Experiences from Berlin, Germany
School Name:
John F Kennedy 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?
4th and 5th.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2013 to present.
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government.
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
This is the first post we have been to with a bilingual/bicultural school option. My kids are learning German quickly and have made many German/American and German friends. The school also has a very strong academic reputation.
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?
The admission process is complicated. JFKS is a very desirable school for Germans. It is a bilingual public school with a very strong academic reputation so there is often a wait list. It is best to contact the school to ask about the admission process.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
B/C Having come from several previous international private schools, I can say that there is not as much hand-holding in the beginning as I am used to. The first week was difficult: adjusting to the new language, different school supplies, more independence, large school, etc. We had lots of playdates the first two months to help our kids get to know the kids in their classes. I found the kids welcoming and to not exclude newcomers. The school does hold an orientation session and there is a parent coffee group. In the beginning, you have to make the effort to get involved and get to know people but everyone has been so willing to answer my plethora of questions.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
As with any school, so much depends on the teacher and the kids in the classroom. One of my kids has a German teacher and one has an American teacher. Both are strong teachers but have very different teaching styles.
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
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
B It depends on the teacher. Almost all notices are sent home in English and German and the website/newsletter is also bilingual.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
B Both of our kids have been challenged at JFKS. Part of this is due to the bilingual characteristic of the school. Their classes are taught primarily in English but there is often explanations/discussions in German for the students who are German mother tongue. Another reason is that the school meets curriculum standards for an American school as well as the German academic requirements. In Social Studies they spent the first half of the year learning about American History and Geography and the second half of the year will focus on German history and geography. I do not have much experience with academic support but I know they have a reading and math support.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
B There are many different after-school activities offered at JFKS. Chess, gymnastics, flag football, girl scouts, odyssey of the mind, etc.
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
We have often found that overseas school are not challenging enough for our children. My children have been challenged at JFKS.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B Starting in 5th grade, students begin to travel away from their homeroom for many classes. What sometimes happens is that they get homework assigned for different teachers on the same day. Other days there is little homework. There are often projects that could be overwhelming if completed at the last minute. I think on average, my 4th grader has less than 30 minutes of homework a night and my 5th grader has around 30 minutes.
8. Administration-parent communication:
B/C
9. Teacher-student communication:
B It can be a little confusing at first to understand the expectations of a new system. For example, for the first science test my son told me he needed to know the terms in English and German but did not know if he needed to be able to spell them in both languages or just know what the words means. I usually communicate via e-mail with the teachers and have found that they will let me know if there is an issue in class. In general I found there to be much less communication compared to other schools.
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:
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Not that I know of.
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:
I wish they offered guitar as a music elective.
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes. In 4th grade many classes go on a week-long trip to a castle. Cost was less than US$200. In 6th grade, there is a week-long hiking trip, 8th grade has a two-week ski trip. High school has many travel opportunities.
17. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
18. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Some. They could offer a strong buddy program to help out new students.
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?
There are two counselors. I don't think they push into the classroom for the upper elementary school but are there when needed by students. They operate a Peer Mediation Service and recently held a discussion group on third culture kids for the parents.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
C The library carries books in English and German. So while there seem to be a larger number of books, only half of them are in my children's native language. I think the library could be stronger. They offer audio books and parents can come in to check out books on certain days.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
C Technology is better than most of our previous schools but still an area for improvement. The kids have computer class and I know both of my kids have submitted PowerPoint presentations.
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 They have PE class three days a week in either a large gym or the smaller gym. When possible they are outside. The school has a soccer field/fields and track. The school is also the location for several sports teams that students from JFKS and other schools participate in. Off the top of my head, there is gymnastics, Tae Kwan Do, basketball, lacrosse, flag football, basketball, tennis table, soccer and I am sure a bunch more I have forgotten. In third grade, students attend swimming lessons for part of their sports program. In 4th grade they go to the local bike school for their German bike license.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
I think the classrooms are capped at 25/26 kids but I don't know the teacher/student ratio.
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?
We haven't gotten that far but I have heard about AP classes.
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)?
A JFKS has a strong music program. They offer flute and violin for little kids (2nd grade?) after school. Starting in 5th grade, students have to choose a string or woodwind instrument (also percussion). This is in addition to the 5th grade music class and the option of choir. There is a Theater group but it is mostly for high school (JFK does not have have middle school). The elementary goes until 6th grade and high school starts at 7th). Starting in 5th grade, students have two periods a week where they can choose an elective (art, choir, lego technology, sports, crafts, newspaper, etc). There are also several after-school activities and tons of other options in Berlin.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes. The German teachers are bilingual but some American teachers only speak English.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
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. Sport Club-JFKS"
JFKS elementary School after school activities"
This lists some of the activities offered at JFKS. The swimming pool is not on the JFKS compound.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
My kids' friends are American, German, and American-German whose parents work for the American government, German government, private industry, etc. It does not feel like they are not included because they are American or because of their limited German language ability. When they play, the primary language is English but already I hear more German spoken when they play with friends.
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.
I am sure there is some bullying and teasing but it doesn't seem any worse than the bullying and teasing at previous schools. There is not as much supervision of the recess areas or lunch room (at least for the older elementary) as you would find in America.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Bilingual and bicultural. The German program is strong. They offer many different levels for different abilities. My kids started at the introductory German level but will have opportunity to move to higher levels instead of just repeating the same material every year.
2. Greatest challenge?
The substitute program is confusing. If there is a teacher absence, the class is divided up and incorporated into another class.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
When my kids came home overwhelmed the first day, I thought we had chosen the wrong school. I thought I was asking too much of them to go to a bilingual school. But by the end of the first week when they had both made that important first friend, I knew it was the right school for them.
Miscellaneous things.
The school day ends at different times depending on the grade. This can be confusing at first. The school offers an after-school program that helps with the different ending times. My youngest gets out at 2:10 and plays in Late Birds until the older child gets out at 3:00.
JFKS Elementary School"
They also offer onsite childcare during the school year and summer. I don't know much about the Hort (childcare system) but the kids seem happy. The elementary classes (at least upper elementary) have a loop system. So the 3rd grade class generally moves up to 4th grade as a class and the teacher moves up with them. JFKS kids are much more independent than students at our previous school in the U.S. At first, it is overwhelming (possibly more for the Mom than the kids) but it all works out and the kids love the increased independence. For example in the States the teacher walks the 5th grade class from one classroom to the next and the kids all have to line up together for the school bus. At JFKS, 4th grade students are already changing classes by themselves. Many kids take public transportation by 3rd grade.
