Rabat, Morocco Report of what it's like to live there - 11/02/17
Personal Experiences from Rabat, Morocco
School Name:
Rabat American School
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
Our child graduated last June.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Grades 11 and 12, 2015 - 2017.
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
US Government
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
No, unless the children speak French. It is the only high school option for English speaking students.
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?
It took multiple emails to receive registration information. There is no course catalog available, the website has very limited information.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
Below average. It was our fifth international school and there is very little sense of community at the school. In prior schools there were multiple community events, the campus was welcoming for after hours social activity - not here.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Very disappointing. It is a recognized issue at the school that they have been attempting to address but often parents are notified last minute about events and communication with teachers and administration is often difficult.
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?
Chromebooks can be purchased from the school, laptops are necessary for high school as textbooks are soft copy. There was one trip that we had to pay for during the two years.
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?
There is a college counselor but she was not well informed about US colleges and universities; she is Canadian. Final transcripts for students were not sent to schools and caused one student to have her offered denied and another to have delayed registration.
2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
It has a small library where students can borrow books.
4. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
Yes, they need a laptop.
5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
I have never seen a computer lab.
6. 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 no PE option for IB students, there is a small gym and a swimming pool. There is a multi-use field, no tennis court.
7. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
1-15
8. 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?
IB, the full diploma was required of the entire grade last year with very few course options. Most students took online IB classes through Pamoja. Pass rate for the IB program has been very low, 2016 - 65% and 2017 - 64%.
9. 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?
Math and sciences are very weak.
10. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
The full IB is very demanding.
11. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
In the upper grades the only IB option is art.
12. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
The SL Math teacher from last year was extremely difficult to understand. She did not complete the second year of her two-year contract.
13. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
None.
14. 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?
There are limited sports opportunities, soccer, basketball and volleyball for varsity. All sports are teams only, no intramural opportunities.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
There is a divide in the upper classes between local Moroccans and expats. The school does not set a cap on local students so many classes are predominantly long-term Moroccan students.
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.
Our child had a difficult first year making friends as most students had been there for the majority of their school career. I know of families that have left RAS early because of school issues, leaving behind the working spouse.
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?
F. We would definitely not choose it again and would recommend anyone with high school-aged students to do their homework. The new administration is aware of the school's issues and is working to change things but it will be a long process. There is a general lack of accountability or commitment from students and teachers alike. This was our fifth international school experience and by far the worse. Students' predicted IB scores and mock exams were not a reflection of their final IB scores. Please request and examine the IB results at this school, it is a reflection of the lack of preparation for finals. Some students were 10 points below their predicted scores. The high school principal projects it will take 3-5 years to turn the school around.
2. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!
Please do your homework, request IB scores and statistics, RAS school profiles and try to talk to current students. As the parent of a 2017 graduate I would not recommend RAS for high school students.
