Rabat, Morocco Report of what it's like to live there - 11/09/17
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?
I am the parent of five children who have attended this school. During our time here we have experienced almost every grade at the school.
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
2014-2018. K,1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
U.S. Government
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
While there are emerging new school options, especially for lower grades, I think this school is the best option.
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?
The school has an admissions officer, who really cares about new families coming in. I think communication
was good for us. It is always helpful to call and talk to the admissions person. We found everything fine.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
I think the school does pretty well. They always host a picnic in the fall, etc. There are also other things hosted at the school, but not necessarily by the school, like Saturday soccer and baseball, for example that help you get to know the people in the community. I also think that even though there is a school bus that children can ride, sometimes it is important to pick up your kids after school so you can meet their friend's parents and other students etc. When we first arrived, my seventh grader was invited to a birthday party. That was a nice way for her to meet the girls in her grade. The PTA has also started doing monthly trips for parents to sights around the city and to Medina.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
There is a weekly hotline sent out to parents. The school also uses educational software like Schoology, and Eduprize. The director of the school hosts parent coffees once a month to meet parents and answer any questions parents might have.
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?
Grade level field trips are covered. Parents are expected to pay for the costs of flights/hotels etc., for international and regional sports tournaments, MUN, choir trips etc. Laptops are distributed without extra charge to each student.
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 designated college counselor. Today there was a visit from NYU. There are usually several college fairs each year. We have had Stanford, Northeastern, Penn State and many other university representatives come. Also a lot of universities have country outreach programs where they have students who are attending that university link up with the high schoolers here. My son who graduated last year had a Harvard Student reach out to talk to him.
2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
No before or after school daycare, but after school activities run for one extra hour after school.
3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
The school has an elementary and secondary library. Students and parents can borrow books.
4. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
Yes, they are up to date and there are computer labs
5. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
Two computer labs, a great tech teacher. Each student is given his own chrome book to use each year.
6. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
The school has a pool, a big nice gym with full basketball court, an exercise room, a soccer field (which has some baseball things on the soccer field too). There is also an elementary playing field, two playgrounds and an outdoor basketball court. The school is moving to a new location in 2018-2019. That school is near the beach. They will also have a pool and gym and soccer field.
7. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
It depends on the class. Sometimes in upper grades and IB there will only be 5 students in a class with a teacher. In lower grades it is usually about 16 with a teacher and an assistant.
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?
This is an IB school, but you can choose the full IB, or just certificate courses. All students who graduate will have a Rabat American School Diploma, and then the paths of IB or non-IB are student preference with input from parents and students and teachers.
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?
I think that the IB in itself is challenging, and we have good teachers who teach the IB courses. There are great teachers spread through the whole school.
My kids have been challenged, and my kids are conscientious students.
10. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes, I think so. There is a good amount of homework in the high school and my son who is in eighth grade has homework in several classes each night. My first grader has reading each night, and math about once or twice a week. My 5th grader has some homework, but not too much. He is learning a lot at school, and homework is appropriate and he is learning and happy.
11. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
There is music and art pre-k through 5. There is drama, music, and visual arts 6th-10th grades. In the IB program here only visual art is currently offered.
12. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes.
13. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Some teachers differentiate within their classes.
14. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
There are learning support specialist in elementary and secondary.
15. What services are provided for speakers of English as a second language at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Lots of EAL teachers.
16. 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?
Middle school choir, High School Model United Nations, Robotics, Community Service clubs.
Middle School and high school Volleyball, swimming, track, basketball, soccer and badminton.
Elementary after school sports, robotics, dance, and service clubs.
There is a middle school choir, but there are not really after school music activities for other ages, so many people take their kids for private lessons elsewhere.
My kids have loved the sports because the school is pretty small they can be on many different teams. My 10th grade daughter and 8th grade son have done soccer, volleyball, swimming, track and basketball. My children take private piano (not through the school).
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 as in all international schools, it is hard for many locals that the expats rotate in and out. But my children all have local friends.
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.
Yes, but the school is aware of it and they are finding solutions. I think it is about the same as every school. The administration and counselors are implementing positive strategies to eliminate bullying.
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?
B+ I would choose it again. We are American and all 5 of the Americans in my son's graduating class last year got into good universities and all of the Americans passed the IB. There were only twenty students in his grade. Some of the other non-Americans have chosen to go to school in Canada, America, Europe, or Asia. I know the year before last, two Moroccan students were accepted into the most prestigious medical schools in Europe. Rabat American School is very small, about 420 pre-K to 12, so with these limits it is amazing to me that the IB works so well. The school has very good administration and some very good teachers. Just like any school, if students choose to work hard in this school, they can go anywhere. There are graduates from this school at some of the best universities in the world, but some students also just scrape by in high school and choose not to go on to university. My son spent three years here before graduating and he is now attending a Division 1 university in the U.S. on a half-tuition academic scholarship because of his grades and SAT scores.
2. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!
A brand new school opens near the beach in 2018-2019. We have lived here for 4 years and it has been good for all of my kids. I currently have an 18 year old (graduated), 15 year old, 13 year old, 11 year old, and a six year old.
