Panama City, Panama Report of what it's like to live there - 04/06/11
Personal Experiences from Panama City, Panama
Panama City, Panama
04/06/11
School Name:
Balboa Academy
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 + Kinder
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2009 - present
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Husband's job
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 but costly!
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
C - felt a little lost when son was in PK
Administration & School Procedures:
1. For the following attributes, down to the next blank box, grade your experience at the school on a scale of A to F with comments:
A-
2. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
Learning-centered, inclusion, differences embraced
3. 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
4. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A
5. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
My son is on the austism spectrum, PDD-NOS. Services are not included in tuition, I pay. But a speech therapist and occupational therapist come to the school. I also pay for a classroom aid.
6. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
N/A
7. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A
8. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
B
9. Administration-parent communication:
A
10. Teacher-student communication:
A
11. 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?
N/A
12. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
Yes. Speech therapy 3x week, Occupational therapy 2x week - at school
13. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
Yes but costly.
14. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
N/A
15. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
N/A but I think so
16. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
N/A
17. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes, but usually $2-3
18. What activities do you feel are missing?
19. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes, school carnival
20. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
N/A
21. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
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
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Excellent
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
1:20 usually
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?
N/A
7. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
A little much for kinder but teacher is flexible. Focus is on learning.
8. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
N/A
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?
Somewhat
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.
N/A
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Inclusion and embracing differences to achieve learning
2. Greatest challenge?
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes
