Paramaribo, Suriname Report of what it's like to live there - 03/27/11
Personal Experiences from Paramaribo, Suriname
School Name:
Suriname International School
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?
Kindergarten, First Grade
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2010-2011 school year
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government/Diplomatic
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: There has been no problem with transparency on admissions and placement.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
B: This probably needs work.The school has been really focused on getting up and running, and needs a program for bringing in new students and families.
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:
I have had a fantastic experience with the school.It is brand new, 2010-2011 is its first school year, and it is exciting to be a part of starting up a new school.
2. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
The kindergarten is a Pre-K/K mix and Grade 1 is 1st/2nd mixed. The class size is small, the teachers are
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: The school is predominately expats right now, but there is hope that more local kids will join in as the school becomes more rooted.
4. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A: Good.Since it's a small school, I see my kids teachers every day when I drop them off, and have had three formal parent-teacher meetings.American teachers affiliated with the Calvert program also review the children's work, for example I get reports also from an American teacher in Maryland who works closely with the kindergarten teacher in Paramaribo.I like this increased feedback on the kids' academic performance, it puts their academic progress in the context of the US system for me.
5. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
The school does not currently have a gifted program.It uses the B: Calvert curriculum, which is challenging and considered the best American home school curricula.The curriculum is accredited in the US.
6. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
C: There are after school guitar lessons at the school.Other after school activities are being developed, based on the kids' interest and availability of local teachers/experts.My kids have swimming, horseback riding, African drums lessons, music appreciation class, piano lessons, not out of the school but independently organized based on pooled information of parents.In Suriname, it's a challenge to find these kinds of things, and once we've found an activity, everyone lets everyone else know it's out there.
7. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A: The Calvert curriculum is great, an accepted high standard in the U.S.
8. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A: From from first grade on, the students have homework.The goal is to stick to the Calvert curriculum so teachers assign homework as needed during the year to keep pace with the Calvert plan.
9. Administration-parent communication:
B: OK
10. Teacher-student communication:
A: Great
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?
Not at the kindergarten and first grade levels, where I see things.The flexibility of the school and of the Calvert curriculum would be a help with any of these kinds of problems.
12. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No.There are special needs kids, both English as a Second Language and issues such as dyslexia.These are addressed by the teachers and parents one on one.
13. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
N/A
14. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
Not an issue so far at this school.
15. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Not yet.They are trying to expand these kinds of offerings, but it's the first year.
16. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
This is a small, new school. Parents should not expect to be presented with a broad range of options.
17. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
No.The PTA is starting to arrange field trips and activites, but the cost is kept to a minimum.
18. What activities do you feel are missing?
We have filled in with outside music and sports classes. I'm not sure how much we need more after-school activities.
19. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
No. The guitar classes were for older kids.
20. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes. It is a very tailored and personal approach, because of the small student body and excellent student-teacher ratio.
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?
B: So far, we have used the PTA as the forum for raising problems to a higher level when they aren't resolved at the parent-teacher level.This has worked so far.Regarding college applications the school currently goes to Grade 8, so this is not a question yet.
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: The library has 3,000 books, which rotate in and out of its small library room at the school.The library itself holds about a quarter of this.
3. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
A: There is a computer lab, it's just getting up and running.
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: Most PE classes take place across the street, the school has the use of a large indoor stadium.Smaller children learn basic skills and teamwork.Older kids have basketball, soccer.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
A: About 1-4.It's a small school.
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?
NA: Not yet, we don't have high school.
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)?
C: Limited.Art is incorporated into the curriculum.There was a Christmas play/musical.
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes.Some are native English, some are native Dutch speakers, one is native Spanish.They all speak English.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
No.The Calvert curriculum does provide for a wide range of additional supplemental activities and subjects, some of which could be used as gifted and talented if needed. www.calvertschool.org
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, see above.Most extracurricular activities in Suriname are arranged by the parents, not the schools.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
The students socialize a lot together after school and on weekends, so do many parents.(This is a small country.)What I like about this school is that all of the kids - around 40 total at the school - know each other and interact.My small kids have good and consistent interaction with the upper grades, who don't shun them because they're younger.
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. The expat kids are in the large majority.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
The curriculum is very good, and a very dedicated and motivated group of expat parents founded it and sustain it.It's a community effort, and you really feel like part of a family at this school.I have not had that expat experience before, and it is a great way to live.
2. Greatest challenge?
Growth over the next five years to become an established, stable school.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
Yes. We really like the community of parents and teachers. It has been the warmest entry into local society we have ever experienced. We learn more about Suriname from the school than from the newspapers.
