Tegucigalpa, Honduras Report of what it's like to live there - 09/25/18
Personal Experiences from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
School Name:
American School of Tegucigalpa
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
5th through 7th grade
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Relocation
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
Yes other schools are available. We found AST to be the best school in town. It is a large school with lots of opportunities for the kids.
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?
Yes, everything is very clear and they have an amazing admissions coordinator
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
10/10.
They are very inclusive with new kids. Families are warmly welcomed to new families. Kids were very welcoming too.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
10/10
We received weekly emails from teachers and middle school director.
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?
No - the school is great in this aspect, they give kids tablets and also provide musical instruments.
We have to get uniforms but they have material and seamstresses to help you get those ordered and fitted as soon as possible.
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?
Yes, they have dedicated counselors at school and they have a great counseling program and are very familiar with univerities worldwide. Graduating students have gone to universities throughout the US and Europe.
2. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
AST has the best library in town. Students can borrow books and even Embassy families who do not have their kids at AST can go and create an account and borrow books.
3. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
School provides chromebooks and a lot of classwork and homework is done online.
4. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
Yes, computer labs for different sections of the school.
5. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
AST has one of the best school campuses. We have a gym, soccer field, basketball courts, and a track field.
6. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
20-1
7. 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?
Yes they have an IB program. Students who don't want to do the IB program can get the work towards a regular HS diploma.
8. 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?
Yes they are and some of the teachers provide more advanced work to make it more challenging. Also they have specialized help for kids that need extra help in school.
9. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
10. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
AST just opened an amazing performing arts center, which is probably the best auditorium in town; lots of space for classes.
They have music, drama, band, yearbook.
11. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes the locally employed teachers speak fluent English.
12. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
They have special services for kids with learning disabilities,. I've never used them but know they have a team of specialists to help children.
13. What services are provided for speakers of English as a second language at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
They have classes for speakers of Spanish as a second language.
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?
Track, soccer, bastketball, volleyball, chess, cheerleading, drama, band, MUN, GIN, Operation smile.
They have a great variety of extra-curricular activities for kids to choose from.
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 they do as much as they want to. I have seen first-hand that many expatriate students do not want to integrate.
I have also seen many kids who have successfuly integrated completely into the school and have absolutely loved their experience.
The school population is divided into "houses" which allows the kids to get to know other kids besides their classmates.
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.
My kid never had a problem, he made friends with local kids as soon as we go there, and he is still in touch with his classmates and friends from AST.
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?
A ... yes we would love to go back so we can be with our kid's classmates.
2. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!
AST is an awesome school, one of the best if not the best choice of school in Tegucigalpa.
Once an eagle....always an eagle !
