Tel Aviv, Israel Report of what it's like to live there - 02/06/13
Personal Experiences from Tel Aviv, Israel
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?
ES
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2008-2012
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
government
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?
F
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
none
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
there are many problems in the ES and the school overall.the superintendent is a huge problem and the ES principal has been there for many years, but 2012 was his last year.there is climate of bullying and there is virtually no science program at the ES levels.The math program has undergone many changes and the teachers are not equipped to teach it.In short, if math and science are important to you at a young age, this is not the right school for you.
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:
D -- parents are dismissed.parent complaints go no where and parents are intimidated and bullied by the school administration
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
F on teacher initiated communication
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
no services for GT and children with LD are actively discouraged
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
varied activities of low quality
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
C
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B
8. Administration-parent communication:
F they give lip service to it only
9. Teacher-student communication:
NA
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?
Science and Math
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
NA
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?
yes
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
science in ES
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
in upper grades there are international trips that are very expensive
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
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?
no
20. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
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?
F
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
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
F -- there is more emphasis on PE than on science
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A
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?
NA
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
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.
there is none, although it would have been helpful
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 quality not good
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.
all children experience these problems -- not limited to expats
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
its facility but a beautiful campus does not make a good school.
2. Greatest challenge?
too many to name
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
definitely not and i'd think twice about coming to this post because of the school and there is no alternative for those who want a decent English curriculum.
