Antananarivo, Madagascar Report of what it's like to live there - 03/06/19
Personal Experiences from Antananarivo, Madagascar
School Name:
American School of Antananarivo
Background Information:
1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?
A parent
2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?
Grade 1-3
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Government (Embassy) work
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
Arrived in January 2015. Credibility, we checked the other schools: BSM and Vision Valley, checked the standards, wasn’t convinced.
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?
Clear admissions procedures. Admissions form was easy to read. We were well-assisted throughout the process.
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
Parents and teachers were very friendly. It was easy to connect.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Elementary teachers tell everything that happens in the class. They are very helpful. Whenever there is something I don’t understand about the homework, I ask the teacher and they are very responsive.
Now things are better with the school newsletter, the school makes it better for us. Sometimes you hear about things from other parents.
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?
Aside from school fees, we may be requested to pay an instrument rental fee, field trip fee. There are no uniforms.
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 socio-emotional counsellor is available as well as a university guidance counsellor. There is also a health clinic.
2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
There is no daycare
3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?
Yes the school has a library, it is quite large with a variety of books. Students can borrow books to read at home.
4. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
In secondary, they are required to have a laptop. Google classroom is used for homework and other things. Students use technology for their projects.
5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
One thing I like about ASA that the students are tech savvy.
6. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Yes, we have a soccer field and basketball / volleyball court and a pool is available in the compound
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?
We had AP courses and are now switching to IB. It is an IB school.
8. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes my child really enjoyed iXL math homework and Raz kids. I didn’t have to tell him to do his homework.
9. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
They offer music and arts. The concerts were lovely.
10. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
They are required to speak fluently
11. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
There is a learning support department
12. What services are available for students with physical disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
There is an elevator for people with disabilities
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.
The ELL department offers intensive learning for non English speakers
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?
Limited number of students: my son was so sad not to be able to join the robotics. I tried to be among the first to sign up, but he was still waitlisted. He was waitlisted for soccer, so I talked to the principal, and they put him in. We love soccer in our country.
I think there is a limited option of after school activities compared to the school I came from. You would expect a big campus that has a lot of after school activities.
Social & Emotional Well-Being:
1. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?
They socialize easily.
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
Overall Impressions:
1. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!
The school made a good decision to move to this new campus. Kindergarten was separate from the rest of the school in the old campus. Now you have everything within the same premises of the school. Canteen at school makes our lives easier. You just load the card. It looks like a perfect school and we enjoyed being part of the community.
