Kuwait City, Kuwait Report of what it's like to live there - 07/15/20
Personal Experiences from Kuwait City, Kuwait
School Name:
American United School of Kuwait
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 through the first half of 2nd 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, there are three other schools to choose from - The American School of Kuwait, The English School of Kuwait, & The British School of Kuwait.
I chose AUS because of the proximity to the US Embassy and because it was a brand new facility.
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?
Yes. There is an assessment fee. For Kindergarten it was a quick, in-person assessment with one of the teachers.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
I was very happy with the support and communication. There is a orientation day before school starts, the PTSO is very active, as is the advisory committee.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
I never had any complaints about the communication I received from any of the teachers.
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?
Yes. Uniforms, a technology fee, a school supply fee, & food fee (includes breakfast, lunch, & two snacks). All these fees are included if you’re paying the full tuition. We were only authorized the academic portion of the tuition, so all the other fees had to be paid out of pocket.
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?
Each school (elementary, middle, high) has a counselor. I asked my son to be evaluated for possible social problems & had follow-up meetings with the counselor. I was very happy with the support I received.
2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
No, but there are after-school activities for an additional fee (sports, art, music, & cooking).
3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Yes. The library is very well stocked. My kids came home every week with new books.
4. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
Students are issued a Chrome book starting in 1st grade. You are responsible for paying for it if it is damaged.
5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
Yes. There is a brand new technology lab for the high school. All the elementary classrooms have smart boards.
6. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
There is a gym, an indoor swimming pool, a soccer pitch, basketball courts, & an indoor track.
Elementary students have six weeks of swim instruction during the year.
7. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
1:12. There is a main teacher (American) and a teacher’s aid (non-American) who has at least a Master of Education or equivalent degree.
8. 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?
AP classes are offered.
9. 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. The school is MSA, CISS, & Near East South Asia accredited.
10. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
11. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
Music, art, cooking for elementary
12. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes
13. 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?
There are sports & after school activities (for an additional fee) are available.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. What is the climate for LGBT+ kids at this school? Are there resources they can draw upon? Does there appear to be any exclusionary behavior?
This is still a school in a Muslim country.
2. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Yes. Most of my kids’s friends were international or Kuwaiti.
3. 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.
Yes. My daughter complained of bullying from a couple of girls. It was addressed by the teacher. The school also expelled a couple of middle school students for bullying.
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?
A. Yes, I would choose to send my kids there again. My kids loved their teachers.
