Chisinau, Moldova Report of what it's like to live there - 08/26/14
Personal Experiences from Chisinau, Moldova
School Name:
QSI Moldova
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?
PK-4.
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2013-current.
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?
QSI works from the common core curriculum and the students are tested. Plus this is the only English speaking school in Chisinau.
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?
A
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
B
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
The student/teacher ratio 7/1 is great; the teachers are a blend of Moldovan & from the U.S./Canada. The teacher are well equipped and know their subject areas well.
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
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
B: They work hard with the students who might have difficulties but they are not equipped to handle extreme learning difficulties. If you have a gifted student, they usually place that child in a level/class higher. They are small enough to give one-on -ne attention.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
B- they do offer a variety of after-school activities for parents who work.
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A- come people complain there is a lot of homework even in the 5 yearr old class.
8. Administration-parent communication:
A weekly Wednesday newsletter
9. Teacher-student communication:
A Excellent
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:
No
12. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
No
13. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
No
14. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
This is a small school with small classrooms they do not offer all the electives of a large school but they do offer a great learning environment. The teachers care and want to see students succeed. 2014 introduced a new director and a few new teachers. The returning teachers have returned because they like their job and like Moldova. Even though QSI does not pay a lot, most teachers are able to live well on the Moldova economy which supports high morale. The morale is good at the school.
15. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
None for the younger ages under 6th grade.
16. What activities do you feel are missing?
None.
17. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes, only because of the teacher who taught the after-school activity was my child's favorite teacher. We do music, dance, and art on our own.
18. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes.
19. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
None that I know of.
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?
A
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
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A- secondary students are required to have their own computer.
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: new PE teacher this year.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A 7:1 at most.
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?
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)?
A: one fall and one spring musical, international day.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes
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?
No - if they don't offer it, most people can afford to pay for stuff on their own.
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?
Size- all students and teachers know each other.
2. Greatest challenge?
It is a small school so we are limited to HUGE big productions or after school sports teams. Location is about 10-15 minute drive across town.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes- the teachers are great.
