Skopje, North Macedonia Report of what it's like to live there - 08/03/11
Personal Experiences from Skopje, North Macedonia
School Name:
Quality Schools International of Skopje (QSI)
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-1st grade, 3rd-4th, 7th-8th
3. During what years were you affiliated with this school?
2010 and 2011 school years
4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
government
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?
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
A
Administration & School Procedures:
1. Describe the general climate of the grade level that you teach or your child attends:
The class sizes were perfect - 12 students in K and 3rd grade, and 8 students in the 7th/8th combination.Each of the classes were like mini families.
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:
A - The school has MANY nationalities represented (including Macedonian), and I have never seen anyone treated differently.The teachers and staff love all the children, and know everybody's name.
3. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
A - I have found communication with the teachers to be very good.I could e-mail or send a note in, and receive a response the same day.If teachers were not in class if I dropped into the school for something, they were always willing and happy to discuss any issue I had, or were able to schedule a time for me to come in and talk.
4. Services for gifted students who need academic challenge and students with learning difficulties:
A (for gifted services) - Because the classes are so small, the teachers are truly able to focus on the individual student and their needs.This was very true for our 7th grader.She was given placement tests at the beginning of the year and placed in the appropriate level of math.
5. Availability and variety of after-school activities for various ages:
A - Many after-school activities had a fee, but next year all activities will be offered free of charge (except for music lessons).
6. Maintenance of appropriately high standards for all students:
A
7. Homework assigned (quality, quantity):
A - It never seemed like homework was just busy work.
8. Administration-parent communication:
A
9. Teacher-student communication:
A - My children always knew what was expected of them by their teachers.If they had questions, they felt very comfortable talking with their teacher to receive more instruction or clarification
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?
No.
11. Does your child receive any special-needs assistance or instruction at this school? If yes, what types? Who provides services and where:
No.
12. Do you believe the special-needs assistance is appropriate and fills your needs? Explain:
13. Does the gifted and talented program meet the needs of students? Please explain:
14. Does the school offer a wide variety of elective or non-core classes such as art, music, and drama?
Yes - Art, music, drama, and language classes for all students.Classes then share things they have learned in these classes in presentations at Community Time every other Friday morning.The school also has an Open Stage night where students are encouraged to perform.Both are fun ways to showcase the students, and Open Stage is a great way for families to socialize outside of school.
15. Please describe any classes or programs that you believe are missing:
16. Are there academic requirements such as trips or other activities that cost money in addition to school fees?
Yes - Some of the upper grades went on trips to other QSI schools in neighboring countries.The trips were elective, and parents paid for airfare and any other fees for the trip.
17. What activities do you feel are missing?
18. Have your children participated in the activities offered? If no, please indicate why:
Yes - The lower school grades (K-6) were able to participate in after-school activities.The upper grades did not, as the activities were during the last period of their day.
19. Does the school provide appropriate assistance to new students?
Yes.
20. 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?
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 is surprisingly good for how small the school is.My children rarely had problems finding books to read that were appropriate for their reading levels.
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 with new computers.It is in the upper-school building, so the upper grades have access to it when a class is not in it.While there is a technology teacher, all the teachers are technology savvy and utilize computers in their classes
4. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
A - Macedonians are big on physical fitness, and the teacher is incredible!They learn many sports throughout the year, and participate in several fun runs throughout the year.After school sports clubs are also available.
5. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
1:8 - 1:12
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?
A - Many AP classes were offered last year, with more being added this coming year.
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)?
B - All the students receive art, music, and drama.Because the school is fairly small, everybody just takes them - they are not necessarily "electives".
9. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes - all the main teachers are native English speakers, and all the local staff speak English very well.
10. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Yes and no.While several of our children have tested into gifted and talented education at previous schools, there is not a G/T program here.However, the teachers were aware of their needs and were able to push them in their learning.I feel that they actually got more just in their classrooms at QSI than they did in their former gifted and talented pull-out classes.
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?
Yes!
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 - Birthday parties, after-school playdates, etc.
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.
We have not had any issues with these problems.
Overall Impressions:
1. What is the greatest strength of this school?
This school feels like a big family.It is small enough so that we feel like we know everyone, but is still big enough to offer the programs that our children need.We are on a first-name basis with the administration and staff, and feel that they truly want what is best for our children.It is wonderful to know that the people they are with for half of their waking hours care for them and their well-being as much as their parents do.
2. Greatest challenge?
Parent involvement is the biggest challenge that this school faces.The same parents volunteer over and over.It would be wonderful for more of the Macedonian parents to get involved in the PTO and activities put on by the school.
3. Would you choose this school again? Why?
YES!!!Our children have excelled here!The class sizes combined with the quality of teachers has been exactly what they need.
