Guadalajara, Mexico Report of what it's like to live there - 05/08/14
Personal Experiences from Guadalajara, Mexico
School Name:
American School Foundation Guadalajara
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Parent (formerly a teacher).
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Middle school aged,
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2011-2014.
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government.
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
Seemed the best fit for our kids.
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?
C-/D the admissions director has been known to give contradictory information. The policy is that kids take a skills test (which is not a big deal and very appropriate) and their performance on that determines their grade placement. This is tricky because like many bilingual schools in GDL, ASFG has a prefirst grade when their Mexican students learn English so their kids are about a year older than their counterparts in the U.S. in each grade (i.e., ASFG kids graduate 12th grade when they are 18-19, rather than U.S. kids who usually graduate when they are 17-18.)
According to Dr. Bill Scotti of the Office of Overseas Schools, regardless of grade placement, he has never had a problem having kids placed in the correct grade once they leave ASFG. However, the evaluation of the kids is entirely up to the Admissions Director. Often she tells families BEFORE THEY TAKE THE TEST that their child will LIKELY go into the lower grade (with agemates). My beef with this is that the policy is to place based on test scores, so creating this expectation seems to create a barrier at the outset. We were told several times that we needed documents for the SEP (Mexican government program) even though we were not placing our children into that program, and had been clear about that from the outset. There is a lot of unnecessary angst in the communications (such as concerns about having spots for the kids, when applying during the spring or summer) and not a lot of clarity.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
B but there is a recognition that this is an opportunity for growth. I would recommend getting involved to help develop this area. It needs work but there is a willingness to improve at the institutional level.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
It's a Mexican school with a U.S. curriculum. Having said that, my children are happy there. This is not their first overseas school, and they did have some adjustments to make, as with any new school, but some of the issues were unique. Let me say I can only speak to the middle school -- I cannot speak to high school, elementary or preschool.
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+
The information from the room mothers is only in Spanish, some meetings are held only in Spanish and the Parent Association meetings are only in Spanish, which makes communication more challenging. Having said that, I attend meetings with my limited Spanish and people are always willing to help if I don't understand. I get a lot of support from the moms in the Parent Association. I think showing up and getting involved made me like the school better and made me feel more a part of the community. It is not super warm and friendly from the get-go.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
B- this is another area for improvement. Some teachers have reached out if my kids had issues but most have relied on parents watching the Powerschool electronic gradebook, which made me feel like a helicopter parent. Sometimes we would go to a conference or I would see a teacher and they would reference something as if I knew what they were talking about. So that was frustrating because middle school kids don't tell you everything that goes on, like elementary kids do. Having said that, overall I really like/liked most of the teachers my kids have had.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
N/A Children with special needs are a case-by-case basis. I would contact the counseling staff with very specific information about your child's needs and see what can be done. My kids have been challenged and I have had no complaints.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
A Yes, see the website.
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
B+/A- I have been happy with what I see happening for my kids. My daughter is reading Animal Farm in 8th grade and has IVCs with a school in Jordan for Model UN in middle school. I believe most schools do not offer MUN at this level, and read Animal Farm in high school. My son has had teachers who have encouraged him to go beyond the boundaries of assignments to tackle issues he found curious.
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B some of it is good, some of it could be better, like pretty much every school I've ever been at. However, kudos to the math teachers especially, for being very upfront about time. The middle school uses the IXL online program, but every teacher has made a point of saying that if your child does not get it, email the concern and not have them doing hours of math to achieve whatever the goal was. Each teacher we've had has responded positively to this when we've had a bad math night and helped the kids out so that things were better.
8. Administration-parent communication:
A- My son told me that he was getting harassed at school so he was going to email the vice-principal and counselor and he would copy me on the email. That evening I had two emails in my inbox with possible solutions already in place, and I had a phone call the next morning. The middle school administrators have been outstanding in terms of communication both regarding bad things (bullying, my son acting out) and good things. Whenever I showed up in their office, either electronically or in person, they were there. I did not always agree with their opinions but they listen well and I generally liked the outcomes. More importantly, both my kids like the administrators and feel that they are fair and helpful.
9. Teacher-student communication:
B again, like everywhere, it depends on the teacher (and the receptiveness of the kid). I have had to work with some teachers, for example when my son was having trouble getting his work from home to the classroom. It was done but he wasn't turning it in. We had a meeting with all his teachers, and at one point he just shut down, even though his teachers were actively involved in brainstorming solutions. I have also had to work hard with a few teachers who were very rigid but I think that is an individual issue, not a school issue. Generally, the teachers are available and interested in engaging with the students.
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?
Spanish as a Foreign Language could be a bit more challenging.
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No, except for math tutoring after school.
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Yes.
15. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes, but you can get out of many of them.
16. What activities do you feel are missing?
More summer activities.
17. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes, both during the school year and in the summer.
18. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Some, but this is an area for growth.
19. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
Spanish is the social language, so it may take a while for non-Spanish speakers to feel comfortable. However, I have seen some consulate kids who didn't speak Spanish jump right in, so who knows! Guadalajara is VERY conservative, so a progressive viewpoint may be an issue too.
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?
Gaby Silva is the head counselor and the middle school counselor and she is fabulous. We have worked with her to deal with adjustment, bullying, "mean-girls," sibling friction, and classroom issues. She is a fantastic listener and open to the idea that there may more than one interpretation of a situation. My son got in trouble one day for saying something that his teacher thought was inappropriate, and Gaby asked me to stop by. It turned out he had taken something I had said out of context, and so she worked with him to understand why it had been perceived negatively. My daughter ran into a pretty serious issue with a classmate, and Gaby worked with her very closely and kept us in the loop. I liked that she was willing to work before and after school with my daughter, who was getting bothered by other kids who asked why she was in Ms. Gaby's office so much. The issue was resolved and my daughter was very happy with the outcome.
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+ GREAT libraries and librarians. They really look out for new kids and go out of their way to help them. I cannot stress enough how great they are. And they need volunteers, so help them -- talk to Victoria in the high school library or Juliet in the elementary library.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A using a laptop (the laptop program starts in 7th grade) has made a world of difference for my son, who has been on honor roll this entire year. Last year, most of his paper assignments got lost in the black hole of his locker.
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 Great, lots of sports but the instruction is primarily in Spanish. The director of the PE section, Paty de la Torre, speaks English and is very helpful when there have been communication issues. It is a great way for the kids to learn Spanish.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A 20-ish:1; reasonable.
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?
There are over 20 AP classes in high school but my kids aren't there yet.
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)?
B+ Nice. Art, drama, music, robotics, etc. but only during the year and briefly in the summer.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes, except PE.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
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?
Yes, but it takes some doing.
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.
From what I have learned, many students, expat and otherwise, feel excluded and bullied. Part of this is middle school behavior and part of it is the "como la pina" attitude in Guadalajara, which sometimes feels like a very small town. But having been a teacher, I think that there is bullying and exclusion everywhere. My son was bullied a lot his first year but once he went to the administration and told them what was going on, it STOPPED. The second year it started with a different group of kids but almost immediately he reported it and it stopped. He has strong positive feelings about the school, which I think says a lot.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Great middle school faculty and administration.
2. Greatest challenge?
Communication for parents who don't speak fluent Spanish, social interactions and mostly, the admissions office. My advice is that if possible, to get involved with the Parent Association. These are the (mostly) women who get things done, and they are very nice. That's the biggest change I would make if I was doing it over again, knowing what I know now. All of the sudden I feel much more connected.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes. My son took a summer class in claymation with a man who worked at Sesame Street. My daughter went to a MUN conference as a middle schooler, and led a DVC with a school in Jordan. She met one of the former Mexican presidents and got to ask him a question. They have had a lot of good experiences. They have had some problems as well, some serious, but whenever we worked with the school, our problems were resolved. Overall we are pleased with how it has gone.
