Panic Time-- Schools...

[inprov]

Geobaby has not been of much help as far as school info goes. I have three children, ages 9, 6 and nearly 3. We have a target moving date of January 1.(which may be crazy, but we will see how it goes!) I need to find schools for my kids.

My husband's work will be footing the bill(at least for the older girls), but they do not want to do the debenture thing. They have NEVER footed a tuition bill before. I have my eye on the American International School, as it has no religious affiliation and is in Kowloon Tong. (close to my husband's office in Shatin) I am worried about the test to get in! There are spaces available, though. How competitive is it. There are few options, it seems.

We are Jewish, so I do not want a school with any religious affiliation. I am not interested in a Jewish school either, as I do not want my children isolated from a truly international experience.
Does anyone have experience with school admission as an American?
What about the British schools? Would that adjustment be hard for my children as the curriculum is different?

Of course, i am also fretting about where to live! I am not a suburban girl here. I like my hip little, walkable neighborhood. I like parks and cafes and good public transport. We want lots of amenities, a health club, pool, other expats and locals. Did I mention that I have a limited budget as well? I sound like such a demanding fool... We are also in our 30s and want to be in a youngish place.

Hope I am not being a pain with all of my newbie questions!

[Pekkerhead]

It is very walkable, in fact it is one of the more suburban (if that is a term that can be used in HK) areas of the region - wide (pretty empty) streets, an excellent local park called Kowloon Tsai Park which has soccer pitches, an excellent swimming pool, and is generally very quiet. Also very close to MTR AND KCR stations (your husband will need KCR to get into Sha Tin on the other side of the mountains) which means reasonably convenient access to the rest of Kowloon, HK island and Eastern NT. Plus you have access to the BEST shopping centre in the region. It's called Festival Walk and is right next to the KCR station.

As for schools this is a tough one. But I do know there is also a massive Australian International school in KT. Not sure if it is secular. Although all religious based schools tend to have their denomination in their titles as far as I know, in which case i think you will probably be OK there if you need a plan B.

Just a thought but there is another good school is in Sha Tin. The International school there (sorry, don't know what nationality it is) has an excellent reputation, but as a result is also very expensive in comparison to others, and it is halfway up the side of a nearby mountain.

Sorry, I can't help any more. I am not an American nor Jewish and my little girl goes to a local Baptist kindergarten - and no, we are not religious AT ALL. It was just the closest (and nicest) school in my local area (no, not KT).

[Sleuth]

Someone on Geobaby has an electronic version of the SCMP School Guide, that might help in your search. I have seen very good things about the German-Swiss school, if you aren't picky (about nationality).
At some point in time you might have to decide whether it is better to skip a half year and find the "right" school or to just put the kids in the "wrong" school and try to fix things before next year.
I agree with Pekkerhead on Kowloon Tong. Although I don't think that park is a park in the American suburban sense of the word. We would have moved into Parc Palais (and still might) had my office been in HK and not SZ.
HK is all about good public transportation. I think every place we have looked at has had a pool and health club. What other amenities were you looking for?

[PDLM]

Slight sidetrack, but have you checked out how easy it is going to be to support your chosen level of Jewishness here? If you are moderately or more orthodox then you are going to be severely restricted in things like eating out (3 kosher restaurants in the whole territory I believe) and buying kosher supplies.

[Pekkerhead]

but here is an article from Today's online HK Standard that may prove useful:

http://www.hkstandard.com.hk/news_de...d_str=20061009

Here is a quote if you can't open the link:
"At Hong Kong International School - one of only two in the territory offering an American curriculum - 373 primary and secondary students were on its waiting list"

Food for thought?

[PDLM]

HKIS is one of the most extreme religious schools in the territory (they will only accept actively practising Christians oin their full-time teaching staff), so it hardly meets Inprov's requirements.

[sunniefaith]

There are EMI primary and secondary schools if she doesn't mind.

[Pekkerhead]

well, then their choice for a US based curriculum is down to one school then :-(

Let's hope the AIS school comes good. There is no specific mention of it in the article, but if there is a waiting list at HKIS then I expect there to be one at AIS as people try and hedge their bets on places.

[inprov]

We are not Kosher and hardly ever go to synagogue, so our "Jewishness" is mainly cultural. It is hardly limiting...

GSIS sounds good, but the debenture thing seems a bit stressful. I have never heard of such a thing before. My kids have moved around so much around here, that I do not want them switching schools in HK. AIS says that they have room, provided that my kids pass "the test" and interview. What about the ESF schools? I have heard those classrooms can be unruly. Is this true?

I have no interest in HKIS. I always thought that Int'l schools give 1st priority to families whose nationality they represent.