Berlin Brandenburg International School
Curriculum:
IB
PYP
MYP
DP
Host Country
Grade Levels:
Nursery
Lower ES
Upper ES
MS
HS
Type:
Non-profit
Private
Day
Boarding
International
Enrollment:
700
Category Scores:
Affiliate:
Review Summary:
School:
Question 1:
The facilities of the school adequately provide for a positive learning/working experience.
Question 2:
School provides adequate access to teaching materials without any extra expense by the teacher (books, lab supplies, art supplies, materials, copying, etc.
Question 3:
School is well funded to provide students and faculty with adequate materials to support their course offering.
Question 4:
Parent community is actively involved in supporting the school's mission and their child's education endeavors.
Question 5:
Classroom student to teacher ratios are kept low.
Students:
Question 6:
Students are generally of high aptitude.
Question 7:
Student interactions with faculty are primarily characterized by respectability.
Question 8:
Students are of diverse ethnicity.
Administration:
Question 9:
Administration positively supports faculty in a professional manner.
Question 10:
Administration actively encourages a dialogue concerning school related issues.
Question 11:
Administration is actively engaged in developing/supporting/maintaining a clear school vision.
Question 12:
Administration makes sure that the financial stability and integrity of the school is well maintained.
Question 13:
Administration/Ownership uses school funds to support the well being of the school.
Salary:
Question 14:
Salary scale is competitive.
Question 15:
Salary provides the opportunity to save appropriately.
Question 16:
Salary provides the opportunity to travel during vacation.
Question 17:
Salary scale provides for vertical and horizontal movement based on years of experience and/or units/degree's earned.
Benefits:
Question 18:
School provides a quality health insurance plan that covers all major medical (health, vision, dental.
Question 19:
School provides retirement benefits that are competitive.
Question 20:
School provides a health insurance plan that covers international travel/coverage.
Question 21:
School provides for faculty child tuition benefits.
Question 22:
School provides strong support for maternity benefits.
Question 23:
School provides an adequate amount for end of contract airfare cost.
Question 24:
School provides an adequate shipping allowance.
Housing:
Question 25:
School provides quality available housing or a housing stipend that affords quality housing.
Question 26:
The proximity of housing in relation to school location is within an acceptable distance of travel.
Question 27:
Options of moving housing during the course of contract is acceptable.
Colleagues:
Question 28:
Colleagues foster a welcoming environment to new faculty.
Question 29:
School hires a diversity of family structures (Singles, couples, families.
Question 30:
Colleagues foster a professional environment that supports growth.
Question 31:
Colleagues foster a personal support structure in place of family.
Place:
Question 32:
City the school resides in provides opportunities for things to do without having to travel
Question 33:
City the school resides in provides easy opportunities to travel to other places.
Question 34:
Local culture is apparent in the city/country in which the school resides.
Question 35:
Local culture of in which the school resides is open to integrating expats into local customs and traditions.
Question 36:
City/Country in which the school resides does not exact personal restrictions on lifestyle choices.
Question 37:
City/Country in which school resides provides for potential tax benefits.
Question 38:
Quality of local health care is excellent.
Question 39:
Cost of living in the city/country where school resides is reasonable.
Question 40:
City the school resides in has excellent infrastructure for mass transportation (e.g. - is a car required.
Question 41:
City/Country in which the school resides provides for adequate personal safety.
Professional Development:
Question 42:
School makes available a variety of professional development opportunities.
Question 43:
School makes available funds to support continued development.
Question 44:
Time is specifically set aside in the calendar for faculty and staff formation.
Question 45:
Faculty and Staff are encouraged to professionally grow by the school.
Question 46:
Faculty and Staff are encouraged to experiment, implement, and bring up new ideas for classroom innovation.
Settling In:
Question 47:
School meets you on arrival and escorts you to accommodations.
Question 48:
School provides an adequate orientation to the school and local culture upon arrival.
Question 49:
School provides an allowance to support the transition.
After Arrival:
Question 50:
Facilities of the school were well represented during the hiring process.
Question 51:
Contract is honored based on what was agreed upon during the hiring process.
Question 52:
School actively maintains a dialogue and support structure to make sure basic needs are being met.
Review Narratives:
6.9
Reviewed:01/05/2014
The school is more suitable for young and single teachers who do not have financial commitments back home or teaching couples/second salary situations. The school has an excellent induction programme and the relocation officer worked hard to help me to find an apartment, sort out a SIM card, telephone/internet connections etc. Staff socials are arranged both on the school site and in restaurants. These are good for staff morale but do not make up for the poor remuneration package. The school financially supports in-service training and professional development. Some of the in-house training was excellent! I feel that I left a better teacher than when I arrived. There are fewer classrooms than teachers. Rather than room sharing, there is more of a “haves and have nots†situation with a minority of teachers being territorial and possessive of their rooms. Teaching in one colleagues room (or at least she saw it as such) was like walking on egg shells. Had I not been leaving, an unpleasant confrontation would have been inevitable. When securing an apartment, one needs to pay three month's rent up front as a deposit. When you leave, you need to give three months’ notice. We gave two and a half months but it only counted as two as part months are not counted. The owners pocketed the rest. Likewise, the internet contract requires three months’ notice, something that we were unaware of as the contract was in German. Germany offers a wonderful environment in which to raise your family. However, the pleasant living conditions do not pay the bills or put food on the table. Our disposable income was less than zero which means that it was effectively costing us to be there and to have stayed there would have ultimately led to serious financial difficulties which is why I made the move to Kazakhstan, where I enjoy a more sensible work load and find that I am much more able to provide for my family and will even be able to pay off the mortgage early. My family enjoy a European lifestyle and live in the family home while I enjoy a wonderful working environment, am paid well and have all my bills covered by the school including accommodation. For the moment, at least, this arrangement works for us and I am very pleased that I made the move from Germany.