any comment about SJI International Elementary School?

[ex-SJI]

Reply to PP: Because they seemed so extremely conscious of the image of their new school  they came across as having a set idea about the sort of student that could thrive there. At that particular time my child was not what they had in mind.

I sensed a sort of prissiness about the atmosphere of the place which became friable under pressure and made my child nervous. We let it go on too long I am sorry to say, and our child suffered.

I will say though it was absolutely nothing to do with the school being Catholic that made me want out. Didn't find that featured much in the time we were there.

[curious to know]

I'm curious, where is your child now? What made you think that your child wasn't the 'right sort'. Academics? I've heard that UWC can be choosy, but haven't heard this about St Joseph's before.

We've been here a while and we have our son down at Tanglin and at St Joseph's. Don't have to decide for another year.

This year, I've got 3 friends who aren't happy with their child's teacher; one at Tanglin, one at UWC (Dover) and one at SJ's. All are talking about moving their child. It seems to me that you get good teachers and bad at every school and that one school's atmosphere could be perfect for one child and dreadful for another.
Isn't it one of those things where you have to just go with your instincts about what's best for your child? I don't know how this helps you get it right first time though.

[jnm]

What about SJI for older students doing IB.  Any thoughts?

[secondary]

  SJII secondary school runs on a local calendar(june to dec), while the elementary school runs on the International schedule. Therefore a child in 5th grade will have to repeat a term(and pay the fees), or skip 6months of 6th grade. A bit tough if you have siblings in elementary and secondary which starts in year 7.
I also got the feeling that being a new school they were looking for a certain type of child...

[fan!]

SJI is very specific on the type of students that they have in so far as they have to be able to speak English,are able to cope with mainstream education i.e. no special needs facility and a zero tolerance to students who are aggresive,disruptive or bully others. I applaude them that they set the record straight at the start and are honest with their policy, - they don't take on students that they don't have the support network for ( which would't be fair on that student or the existing students in the class)

[to fan]

Yeah well that's great for you. Unfortunately, international schools in singapore that will take special needs students are few and far between. Most schools are showing outright discrimination to kids with special needs. Where does that leave these students?

Doesnt sound like a very Christain ethos to me.

[also I might add]

Before someone comes out with the 'These poor schools dont have the resources to cope with special needs kids', ask yourself the question 'why dont they?'. It'simple enough to accommodate them - thousands of schools in other countries do.

[scorn]

Yes, they do. And in fact I had a long talk with a Canadian primary school teacher just last night. To accommodate an autistic child she has an argumentative teaching assistant in the class and to accommodate the fact that the school has a 40pct ratio of ESL kids she has a split class, half Grade 1 and half Grade 2.

Lots of accommodation. Not sure about the learning though.

[fan]

not really wanting to open up the 'special needs 'debate but yes it comes down to economics - special needs requires:_ specialist teachers,small ratio  (7 to 1 in the UK) Physiotherapist support, occupational therapist support,( if needed) educational physchologist, inset training for main stream teacher ( they can't just suddenly become experts in special needs)IEP's written for students so that they learn what is appropriate for them.  structual changes to the school building, additional support(possible 1-1 for the student in the main stream classroom)  if required. It is a HUGE commitment from any school to take on special needs students and yes it is very expensive. In other countries the government helps with the cost - here in International schools the government doesn't - it's simple economics without the righteous justifications. 

[to fan]

Look, the 'it's too expensive' argument just doesnt cut it anymore. Mainstream schools in my country dont supply tonnes of speech therapists, occupational therapists etc that you mention. Many special needs kids just slot into a mainstream school - some of them have a shadow, which some parents pay for themselves, but that's about it.

The high school I went to had many physcially disabled students, and that was in the 80's! Granted, the school might have had to install a few ramps for wheelchairs and maybe a disabled toilet, but gee, we're not exactly talking millions there are we?

Are you are quite happy with the discrimination-ridden system that exists in singapore? You think having special needs kids in the classroom will somehow hold your children back? If so, get with the times lady, those kind of attitudes belong in the 1960's.

[To PP]

Just because you have issues PP does not mean that you need to lash out at the 'fan'.  My children are too young to know whether or not they have special needs, but if they do, I cannot expect everyone else to pick up the tab in private schools.  Most likely we will have to move 'home' or somewhere else that does have the facilities.  I do sympathise with your position, but you've got to accept that not everyone has the same axe to grind and not everyone can afford to have their fees increased for those who do.

[fan]

'to fan' - if aggresive people like you get excluded from schools I'm all for it!
 I'm not discrimitory just realistic. I honestly believe that if a child is going to be in mainstream then the whole support network needs to be in place for the BENEFIT of that child and the existing students. Get off your high horse - stop thinking about the "PC"things to say and actually open your eyes and ears to what I said. 
- You have a very simplistic view of the education system and seem happy to sacrifice a childs' needs and happiness for a quick fix solution ( bit like the UK government in the 1990's when they shut lots of special needs schools and put those students into mainstream ( didn't work by the way and they are now trying to reopen lots of SEN schools!)

[ex-SJI]

Sorry, I was not talking about special needs...we had problems at SJI but our child doesn't have special needs, nor has he had problems before or since SJI.

It is true that there were some people with special needs kids at the school (at the time the school was easier to get into) who were also facing difficulties.

The principal was not someone I enjoyed dealing with. From what I could see I was one of a number of parents who had to address issues with her and did not come away from these encounters feeling there was much scope for future dialogue.

[kd]

I actually teach at another smallish international school and I've heard nothing but good reports with regards to SJI.  It only takes one disgruntled parent to spread negative news about a school and it shouldn't be taken too seriously.  I think all the international schools in Singapore are good, in their own way, for different types of children.  Short term stayers may well do best at "their" school, longer termers at one of the international schools, shy kids at one of the smaller schools, sporty kids at one who has good facilities...  Every school has their good and not-so-good teachers - find a school that suits your child and make the best of it!

[sji]

Just called SJI to ask about wait lists for this coming year. Was told there were. When I repeatedly asked if they could give me some idea about the length of the list I just got a lot of mumbo jumbo about assessing, considering etc.

Is this deliberate obfuscation really necessary? Obviously we don't want to register our kids if there's no hope of getting in this year because we will have opted for another school. I came away thinking they prefer to have our registration money than giving an answer they obviously have the answer to.

big negative in my mind.