SAIS

I'm kind of hating Singapore today. I'm not sure why exactly. I walked a lot and got really hot. True, I walked alot when I first got here, but lately I've taken more cabs and my patience for sweating has faded. Even so, I don't think my grumpiness is about the heat. Nope. I think it's about the schools. 

 

The thing about moving here is that schools in Singapore are among the best in the WORLD. Don't believe me?Read this article. The schools funded by the local government are pretty darn incredible. Even so, I have yet to meet an ex-pat who doesn't send their kid to one of the big international schools. The education is a big draw when families debate a move here.

Even better, most companies pay the steep tuitions. That wouldn't be the case for us and the money part would be a huge drag, but the finances aren't what have me blue. I'll leave that for Tom to get depressed about. Rather, I'm worried about Maisie and whether or not she can get into a good international school. Schools here do not receive additional funding for working with special needs kids so the schools aren't anxious to take a kid who needs additional help. I've been coached over and over about what I need to say to get Maisie help, but also get her into the school. That just seems wrong.

Heck, the entire reason we moved to Chappaqua is because the school district has a reputation for lavishing services on kids. When we return, Maisie is scheduled to get speech 2x a week, OT 2x a week and have a special teacher called a SEIT assigned to just her 5 days a week. I'm not so sure what I think about the SEIT, but the teacher was pretty adamant. Maisie has a lot of trouble transitioning from one thing to another in class. At some other school, she may not qualify for anything. Like I've said before, she doesn't LOOK like a kid who needs therapy. The whole therapy "game" is complicated.

Again, I keep telling myself she's better now and things are fine - that she doesn't need therapy. I think school is going okay though she has an intern assigned to just her to help her adjust. I think yesterday may have been a little bumpy. Today school was okay, but she had a really hard time after school and cried in the stroller on our walk home for 45 minutes and cried and cried again tonight for no real reason. She's crying because she's just so darn tired, but this is the kind of thing most four-year-olds are past. Now she's only going to school from 8:30-12:30. Most international schools would have her there til 3:30. I'm not sure how she can handle that. Her issues are at their worst when she's tired.

Today, I looked at The Stamford American School. SAIS wasn't really even on my radar until a friend told me she put her daughter there. Then, the pediatrician I saw also mentioned it saying it would have services to support Maisie so I figured I'd check it out.

Holy Mother of God... this is some school. You get what you pay for. SAIS has been around for a while (not sure exactly how long), but they just opened a brand, spanking new campus a month ago doubling the size of the students it can handle. So unlike almost every other international school here who have three-year wait lists, there are openings for both my kids. It starts a new term January 28th which just might work with our schedule.

The school is massive. I have never, ever seen a campus this large - anywhere. I dunno... maybe Plano high school with it's 2500 students is as big. I'm not sure, but this place is just huge.

They are still building the secondary school. Eventually, the school will go through 12th grade, but for now, it's only accredited til 9th as that process takes two years. When both buildings are complete, there will be two Olympic-plus sized pools, a rock wall, golf simulator, obstacle course, sports field, computer lab, indoor gyms, art rooms - all of it top notch.

I'm not sure what the teachers are like, but the facilities rock. If the academics match the building, then wow.

Kids can take either Mandarin or Spanish and choose between either an IB diploma or an American diploma. 

It's got the same kind of application fee/wait list racket as all the other schools which still just stuns me. There are facility fees, too - this on top of a huge tuition.

Tomorrow, I'm looking at the Singapore American School, the granddaddy of them all. Well, maybe it's the grandma. United World College won't even give me an appointment to see the place! That's what it's like to be number one here. As I hear it, UWC would never, ever take Maisie with her issues. 

Sigh.