Parent's Review of American School of Brasilia in Brasilia, Brazil

What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

American School of Brasilia

In what town or city is this school located?

Brasilia

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

American with mostly Brasilian Rich Students

What grade levels are represented at this school?

Pre K-12

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

Most families have enough money to pay for a driver. Others ride Embassy buses or contract out with private bus companies.

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

The facilities are falling apart. There has been an attempt to make the place look sharper, but these are usually quick fixes and within a year it is obvious that the administration was trying to save money. Ceilings are falling down and bulletin boards are cheap. The best looking area, of course, is the administrative offices.

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

Nothing other than what individual teachers did to help out. There is not other support for kids transitioning in or out of the school. Brazilian students coming into an English speaking environment seem to face the greatest challenge.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

None. The parent-teacher organization is a joke because most parents are either too busy or have maids and drivers to do everything but complain to the principals about non-issues. The teachers ultimately have to deal with this nonsense indirectly (and many times anonymously) because administration babies these parents.

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

Visit the school. The teachers are wonderful. The environment tends to be overwhelmingly negative on the adult level, with a lot of back stabbing and squabbling between certain inflexible vice-principals and the business office/dedicated teachers/parents from a modest background. But kids are usually kept from experiencing these issues and receive the best education that individual teachers are capable of providing in a non-supportive environment. If my students were younger, I wouldn't hesitate enrolling them in the Lower School.

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