Antananarivo, Madagascar Report of what it's like to live there - 08/03/20
Personal Experiences from Antananarivo, Madagascar
School Name:
American School Antananarivo
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent of two middle school children.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Attended late elementary school and middle school.
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Work at an embassy.
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
There is a French international school and a small British school. Most children from this embassy attend the American school, but there are some who speak excellent French who attend that school.
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
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
We had no issues.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Overall, communication has been good. Lots of opportunities to engage with the teachers and check up on student progress. Frequent newsletters from the administration.
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?
School fees were covered by the embassy, although the school requires a laptop for both middle school and high school kids, and we paid for those ourselves.
Academics & Resources:
1. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
There are some after-school activities, but many people have staff at their homes at a low cost, so there is not a large need for after-school care.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Library is decent.
3. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
Need own laptops.
4. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
The technology program is excellent; lots of opportunities to do 3D printing, coding, game-writing.
5. 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, playing fields, and there are swimming lessons at a nearby pool
6. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
Somewhere between 10 and 12 per classroom.
7. 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?
Yes, they have a good IB program.
8. 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?
My children have been excellent students throughout their schooling, and they have been appropriately challenged at ASA. The school has been one of the brightest spots of our time in country. The teachers have, in general, been excellent.
9. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
10. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
Music, arts, sports. It's a small school, so the opportunities after school are not large, but there are opportunities.
11. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
The school was flexible in letting my child continue in a higher math class (matching her advanced math status back in our home country), placing her in a class one year above for that subject.
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?
There is a LGBTQ club at school, and overall it's been a generally welcome atmosphere.
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?
An "A" - one the best parts of our time here. I feel my children have continued to receive an excellent education, even during COVID-19 remote learning
