We’ve been very pleased with how our two children have integrated into school life on repatriating to Texas, from the International School in Perth.  Valerie entered first year middle school and Matthew, first year high school.

Both are STEM students and are doing extremely well in their new and very competitive “teach and test” environments.  It’s quite different from the IB approach at the International School, but they appear to have been very well prepared for it.  In fact, they are doing better than ever academically and in sports as well (track, basketball, soccer, ice hockey).

The northern hemisphere schedule offered at the International School made it convenient to transition between schools.  We finished the school year at the international school in Perth and a couple of months later we were in the registrar’s office in Texas, making a simple transfer onto the next grade level – no moving a half year ahead or behind.

The classes at the International School of WA, like Spanish and 8^th grade Honours Math, put the kids ahead of others.  For example, surprisingly, their new school district does not offer Spanish or other languages until 8^th grade. However, my kids had already done years of Spanish at the International School of WA.

Similarly, having taken Honours Math Algebra 1 at the International School prior to starting high school in Texas was a very important accomplishment for our STEM student – critical, really.

Altogether our experience at the International School of WA and beyond has been a happy one.

Ronald Cupich