Port Au Prince, Haiti Report of what it's like to live there - 01/15/17
Personal Experiences from Port Au Prince, Haiti
School Name:
Union 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?
Kindergrten and Second grade
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
Yes. This is one of few schools that teach in English.
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?
Mostly through the website.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
Not great. The expat children are mostly underrepresented here. We never got a strong feeling of welcomeness from anyone at the school. I feel as though they are focusing more on local students since they typically attend for longer periods than expat kids.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Prior to enrolling our children the communication between administration was lacking. Communication between parents and teachers is fair. Usually via email given the distance and general lack of infrastructure facilitating phone calls and face-to/face meetings.
2. Aside from school fees, are there required expenses such as uniforms, laptops/tablets, musical instruments, or field trips that parents are expected to cover? What are the approximate costs?
Uniforms-approximately US$30-$35 each plus separate PE shirts/shorts. School supplies.
Academics & Resources:
1. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
No.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Yes. On the smaller side. I'm not sure how up-to-date it is. My 2nd grader has borrowed books.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
Considering the lack of funding they are doing well to have two dedicated computer labs.
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Outdoor gym/soccer field. No pool.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
Kinder= 2:25
2nd= 1:20
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?
Not that I know of.
7. Are students generally challenged appropriately by the curriculum? Please describe any particular strengths or weaknesses in this area. Do you have any thoughts how the curriculum is applied and implemented at this school?
Yes and no. My kindergartener can read after only 4 months in school. He had a good start in our previous assignment though. My 2nd grader is struggling despite being advanced when she started school here. There are other factors attributing to the difficulties.
8. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
No. Too much homework. 20-30 minutes daily homework for Kinder and 45 minutes-1 hour (on a good day) for 2nd grade plus dedicated reading time for both.
9. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
Music and art class
10. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
I believe everyone speaks English fluently.
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?
Given the length of day for our children, they cannot participate so I am unaware which activities are offered.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
No. Locals stick with locals. Expats stick with expats-depending on work status/affiliation of the parents.
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.
Some. After 2 semesters here my children have few friends outside of our local community. Often they are excluded from playing with others (locals and expat children).
Overall Impressions:
1. What letter grade (ranging from A, excellent, to F, fail) would you assign to this school based on your overall experience? Would you choose it again?
C-. Most likely no.
