Guadalajara, Mexico Report of what it's like to live there - 05/13/14
Personal Experiences from Guadalajara, Mexico
School Name:
Canadian School
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.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2013/2014.
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?
We contacted ASFG first but weren't happy with our initial interaction with them, especially regarding our high school age children. We waited to decide on the school until we arrived in Guadalajara and were pleased with the Canadian School for our youngest son when we visited it.
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?
Children who are 5 by December 31st should be placed in kindergarten but they were flexible with this. We chose to put our son in kindergarten even though he turned 6 in December since he hadn't been in kindergarten before. We appreciated the flexibility.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A. My son arrived after the school year started and spoke no Spanish but his teachers and the administrators have been very supportive in making sure he transitioned well. The parents of the other children in his class have all been very welcoming and friendly.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
My child has been very happy at the Canadian School. He is learning, the children are kind, his teachers are excellent, and we have been completely satisfied with the general climate at the school. Unfortunately the school is only for younger elementary children right now. They are planning on adding 3rd grade in 2014/15 and 4th in 2015/16 (and so on).
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:
A. We have had no problems at all in this area.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A. My son's teacher is very good at keeping me informed about what is going on at the school. She always emails in English.
4. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
As mentioned above, children can play soccer, do TKD, take Spanish if they need it, and there are several other classes available too. I think there is something available every day if you need it.
5. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
Kindergarten has a short homework assignment once a week.
6. Administration-parent communication:
The administration emails frequently and always has an option for me to read the information in English.
7. Teacher-student communication:
Excellent.
8. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
Nothing.
9. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
No.
10. What activities do you feel are missing?
Nothing.
11. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
12. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes.
13. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
None.
Academics & Resources:
1. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
The library is small right now but they are working on it as they add more grades.
2. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
A. In addition to the regular PE classes, my son also plays soccer after school. There is a TKD class too.
3. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
Very good. The kindergarten classes have around 16-18 children with two teachers each.
4. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes.
5. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
This doesn't really apply in kindergarten but they do spend a lot of time on art and music.
6. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes.
7. 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.
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.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
We love the focus on community and kindness at the Canadian school. It is always a happy place and my son has learned a lot.
2. Greatest challenge?
We have been completely satisfied in every way.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes, for all of the reasons listed above. I hope that the Canadian School becomes a good alternative to ASFG as it continues to add new grades.
