Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Report of what it's like to live there - 11/02/11
Personal Experiences from Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
School Name:
International School of Luxembourg (ISL)
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?
5, 8, 9
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2010-2012
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
2-3 years
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?
B.There does seem to be a little bit of preferential treatment going on that I don't quite understand, but overall it has been quite excellent.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A.School has a rich program for ESL students as well as careful evaluation of incoming students to ensure they are placed appropriately
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
Classes are welcoming and very conducive to learning
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:
B.School caters to local students slightly more than expats, but considers the concerns of both.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
B.Confined primarily to parent-teacher conferences when so much other communication is by email.Could be better.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
B.They do a wonderful job within the bell curve of children above average and with children with moderate learning disabilities - specially ones that the child can be taught to compensate for.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
Unable to fully judge at this point
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A.Teachers coordinate homework to ensure there isn't too much on one night.
8. Administration-parent communication:
C.The administration does not fully consider that parents may have different views on sex-ed and religious matters than what the school teaches (not that the school teaches religion, per say - but it does teach some concepts that are counter to some mainstream religions).It therefor fails to give parents a reasonable heads-up when these areas are about to be discussed with the students.
9. Teacher-student communication:
B.Generally good
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:
Yes - related to a mild form of ADHD
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
Yes - it is far better than anything I would have expected.
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Unable to fully judge at this point
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:
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes, up to Euro 500 / year.
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
Academic quizzing
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, for the most part.It is easier if you are already used to European norms, as they will generally assume that you are.
20. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
Previously mentioned cultural differences with regard to sex-ed and topics that touch on religious beliefs are not handled by the school as sensitively as I believe is appropriate.
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?
Unable to fully judge at this point
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.We've been in third world countries for a while and might be colored in our judgement, but it seems pretty good.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A.A+++.Students are encouraged to use IT equipment, the school provides wireless access to students who wish to bring in personal laptops / iPads, and the school uses online services to keep teachers, parents, and students all coordinated.
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.The traditional physical education pieces deserve an "A", but the school also lumps sex-ed in this category.The sex-ed teaching seems to assume that the children will be exposed to sex and likely participate in it - to abstinence promoters like us it seemingly sets the children up for failure.Hence the lower grade.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
Approx 16:1
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.IB coursework from grade 9.
7. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes.Could be slightly higher in the lower years.
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 - other than the foreign language classes, of course.
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
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, not in our experience.Expats socialize with expats almost exclusively outside of school.
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 in our experience.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Academics.Seriously.The school rocks academically.They do an absolutely awesome job with special needs as well.
2. Greatest challenge?
Obtaining IB excellence while maintaining an local identity; not just turning into another IB school.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
No.The differences in approaches on sex-ed and in teachings that touch on items we consider religious in nature are too great for our comfort.
