Sao Paulo, Brazil Report of what it's like to live there - 01/15/18
Personal Experiences from Sao Paulo, Brazil
School Name:
Graded American School of Sao Paulo
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?
Grades 4-12, 2012-2018
3. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?
Assigned to the U.S. Consulate
4. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?
There are 3 schools offering an American diploma (soon to be 4 schools in 2019). The other 2 schools (Chapel and PACA) have religious affiliations which were not good fits for us, but I did look at Chapel because of its strong academic reputation. The main reason we chose Graded was the outstanding performing arts facilities and (relatively speaking) greater performing arts opportunities. After getting to know all the schools quite well (we have lived in Sao Paulo for 6 years), I would recommend Graded for anyone who prefers their child to be in a truly international environment. All other schools offering English-language instruction have student populations that are 80-95% Brazilian passport holders, which means the international perspective is not really there. And (I feel) the risk of non-Brazilians being bullied/marginalized is higher when they are just a tiny minority within the group.
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 on the Graded website, but if your child has any special education requirements, the review process is a bit more mysterious. The main complaints I have heard are that inquiries go unanswered (or that responses are very slow) and that admission decisions are made very late (i.e. in May for August admission) - which is stressful. Until recently, the school operated at full capacity and had a long wait list, so the late admission decision timing was due in part to waiting for families to inform the school if they were withdrawing (and thus releasing a space).
2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?
We found Graded to be very welcoming six years ago. There is a super active PTA and parents are encouraged to be on campus at any time (which is not the case in many U.S. public schools!). Student "ambassadors" are assigned to each newcomer to help them navigate their first few days of school. I do think the counselors could do a better job of proactively checking in with new kids and families, especially at the upper school level.
Administration & School Procedures:
1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?
Communication has been mixed in my six years experience. Some teachers reach out to parents, others send nothing even when kids are struggling. Major changes (to curriculum, grading system, program offerings, teaching staff) have sometimes been communicated well to parents by the administration, other times not. The website was updated but it is still difficult to find info (e.g. how to reach a teacher). I feel the current administration can sometimes be a bit defensive rather than engaging on controversial decisions, but in the big picture are open to listening. The elementary, middle, and high schools operate separately, which sometimes complicates effective communication.
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?
Yes, all kids must have a laptop and starting in 4th grade, there are overnight field trips which are part of the curriculum. Costs range from a few hundred U.S. dollars for the lower school trips (which are 1-2 nights), up to $2000 for high school trips (which are for one week). Most extracurricular activities will offer a trip as well, ranging from U.S.$500-$3000. A family with multiple kids will need to budget for this!
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?
There is a school psychologist and several counselors assigned to each school division. At the lower school and middle school teachers, these counselors also carry a teaching load. At the upper school level, they are dedicated counselors. Graded is currently looking to hire a dedicated college counselor, which will help improve this crucial function.
2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?
No
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, there is a library which students can use and borrow from. I'm not that familiar to comment on quality of books.
4. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?
Laptops required for grades 5 and up. All homework is managed on Google docs and via websites.
5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?
Graded has a 3-D printer and is working to improve STEM resources. The website may have a better description.
6. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?
Sports facilities have recently been updated. There are several gyms and playing fields, but no pool yet (it is slated to be built in the next 5 years). No tennis court (this was removed during the renovation and replaced by a beach volleyball court). An activities director was hired two years ago, vastly improving the organization of the sports programs at Graded. But sports are still limited, both in terms of number of sports offered, and the ability of a child to play multiple sports in a season.
7. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?
See website.
8. 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?
IB program is offered for 11-12 grade. Students may opt to do the IB full diploma (approximately 80% do) but all students must take at least a couple IB courses.
9. 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?
Graded is academically rigorous. Science has been weak, but the administration is working to improve (new curriculum, additional STEM courses added, etc.) Performing and fine arts is strong relative to other schools, although resources here have been cut since we started. There had been two music teachers and two theater teachers - now we have one teacher in each area to serve the entire school (K-12, 1,200 students)
10. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?
Yes
11. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?
Wonderful fine arts facilities are available. Graded has an orchestra, choirs, theater, and visual arts courses and clubs.
12. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?
Yes
13. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
I don't believe there are special services in this area.
14. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.
Graded can support limited special needs - one specialized resource is available in each of the three school divisions.
15. 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?
Many service clubs are available, sports, arts, academic clubs. See the website - there is something for everyone.
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, it is possible with time. Both of my kids now have Brazilian friends - though for one of them, it took 5 years and reaching a decent level of Portuguese fluency for this to happen. The great thing about Graded is that half of the school are expats, so it is much easier to connect with new friends.
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.
There is definitely a social division between Brazilian and non-Brazilian kids - which I feel is natural given the permanent vs. transient nature of the two groups, but can still be difficult for newcomers and has not evolved much during my time at the school. My gringo son was "not allowed" by the Brazilian kids to play in the daily soccer games at recess in the lower school - and the administration has still not found a solution to this ongoing exclusion.
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?
B. Among the options available, I absolutely would choose it again. Given the cost and reputation, I had expected processes and communication and resources to be better organized and entrenched, but Graded has undergone several major transitions in the past six years. I believe these are mostly for the better, but the school has not had (for me) the look and feel of a nearly 100-year-old highly-regarded, leading edge institution. That said, my kids have had an excellent education overall and I feel are well prepared for college.
