Belgrade, Serbia Report of what it's like to live there - 02/02/16
Personal Experiences from Belgrade, Serbia
School Name:
International School of Belgrade
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?
1 & 4
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2013-2016
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
US Embassy
5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
Embassy support.
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?
No. If they think your kid will be even remotely challenging, they won't accept them.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
Minimal, students at all ages and levels are expected to adjust immediately.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
Small class sizes which is great. Each class has an assistant. Often the 2 classes of the same grade work together.
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:
c- Despite the fact that the international community, particularly the diplomatic community are this school's bread and butter, local wealthy kids get preferential treatment. US embassy kids are particularly seen as problem kids and blamed first for anything. We have witnessed a lot of bullying. If you are a dual working family, you are frowned upon if your work schedule doesn't accomodate a lot of the day-time events and if you can't come in for meetings at the drop of a hat.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Minimal, often you don't hear about problems until well after they happen. There was a situation that went on for months where the teachers were taking away student lunches or items from lunches that they felt weren't healthy enough. When the parents finally found out, they went to the PTA and it was stopped. However the teachers didn't feel the need to communicate this with the parents.
4. 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?
Required laptops.
5. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
None. If you have any needs at all, you are expected to hire a full-time aide and the school selects him/her. The options available may not have actual training or education in special needs education. They also will not adjust expectations for class work, so regardless of ability or physical limitations, your children are still expected to meet the goals set for the entire class and your children will be treated as if they are a problem and will suffer self esteem issues. There are no options for mobility imparied kids, there aren't ramps or elevators, they cannot be accomodated.
6. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
There are some, not much variety but some popular ones. The Lego group is quite popular as is the iPad group. There's always soccer and a martial arts class.
7. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
All students are held to the same standards regardless of ability.
8. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
Heavy homework load, low quality busy work.
9. Administration-parent communication:
Minimal. Emails about events come out just a few days prior.
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?
Yes, varies by student ability.
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
Yes and no; they got help outside the school mostly but my youngest had an educational aide for the first year and we were not impressed.
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
Absolutely not.
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
No.
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Not at elementary level.
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
Technology for elementary, coding would be nice.
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes, and day field trips provide very little notice, you're lucky to get a week.
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
Science and technology.
18. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes.
19. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
No. Sink or swim.
20. Please describe any problem areas or challenges in social interaction at the school:
Bullying.
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?
Decent student support, but if your children have to go regularly, be prepared to have to attend regular meetings yourself to be told you are parenting wrong and hope you have a very understanding employer for the frequent absenses.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Great library, excellent library staff, always willing to help kids find something new to read.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
The school claimed they could provide adaptive technology but was actually unable or unwilling to do so. For older students they provided laptops which had to be turned in at the end of the year and the tiniest amount of damage was over charged (example hundreds of dollars for a lost keyboard key...many parents ended up getting things fixed before turning them in to save the price gouging). The school is changing to a bring your own device scheme which is MUCH better!
4. 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 a tiny gym and PE is twice a week. There are some after-school sports and for the upper school there is a very robust sports program.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
High, classes are 20 or less with one teacher and one assistant.
6. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
No, high amount for lower school and it's mostly busy work.
7. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
There is dance, music and art starting at elementary.
8. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes.
9. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
No although she was ahead of her peers in several areas.
10. 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?
Small range.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
Depends.
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!
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
Supported by the embassy. Bus service.
2. Would you choose this school again? Why?
No.
