Mom, am I on the list?
Part of having kids growing up in Mozambique is figuring out what to do for school. We are very lucky to have a great little international school where our children have small classes, great activities and caring teachers. It is unusual for an English based school to open outside the national capitol. We are very thankful for Zambezi Junior School! We are the only missionary kids (MKs) in the school.
My kids are growing up though... and there aren't many options for middle school and secondary school. ZJS can take them until 7th grade if required. After that, there isn't a local option. Most of their classmates will head off to boarding school in Zimbabwe or South Africa. Most of their classmates' parents came from these countries and that system. I see the benefits of these schools, but I can't see that being the best option for us.
Most of the missionaries we know in Mozambique consider Rift Valley Academy in Kenya to be an excellent option. Most of the MKs who have grown up in different parts of Mozambique and head off to RVA have a wonderful experience. The school has an American based curriculum and follows an American school calendar. It isn't a perfect set-up, but it is pretty close! Not all kids thrive in boarding school, but most actually look forward to it.
Boarding school has been used as a threat in America to get kids to behave. It just isn't like that around here! I've always told my kids that they can't go to boarding school until they ask to. My intention being that they should want to go, not that I send them away. The RVA kids were still on summer vacation during our conference last month. My kids spent lots of time with current and former RVA students. The 11-13 year olds asked the experienced older kids about RVA. By the end of conference, Katie and Jakob were wondering if I've filled in their applications yet! They are already planning who will be there with them, etc.
So, I've downloaded the forms. 2013-14 isn't all that far away! I'm late in applying for Katie... the waiting list is LONG! They only take applications three years in advance now. (I was told to put her on the list from first grade before they changed that rule!) The hardest part of the application so far is finding their social security numbers- I have them here somewhere... but don't need them that often!
My kids are growing up though... and there aren't many options for middle school and secondary school. ZJS can take them until 7th grade if required. After that, there isn't a local option. Most of their classmates will head off to boarding school in Zimbabwe or South Africa. Most of their classmates' parents came from these countries and that system. I see the benefits of these schools, but I can't see that being the best option for us.
Most of the missionaries we know in Mozambique consider Rift Valley Academy in Kenya to be an excellent option. Most of the MKs who have grown up in different parts of Mozambique and head off to RVA have a wonderful experience. The school has an American based curriculum and follows an American school calendar. It isn't a perfect set-up, but it is pretty close! Not all kids thrive in boarding school, but most actually look forward to it.
Boarding school has been used as a threat in America to get kids to behave. It just isn't like that around here! I've always told my kids that they can't go to boarding school until they ask to. My intention being that they should want to go, not that I send them away. The RVA kids were still on summer vacation during our conference last month. My kids spent lots of time with current and former RVA students. The 11-13 year olds asked the experienced older kids about RVA. By the end of conference, Katie and Jakob were wondering if I've filled in their applications yet! They are already planning who will be there with them, etc.
So, I've downloaded the forms. 2013-14 isn't all that far away! I'm late in applying for Katie... the waiting list is LONG! They only take applications three years in advance now. (I was told to put her on the list from first grade before they changed that rule!) The hardest part of the application so far is finding their social security numbers- I have them here somewhere... but don't need them that often!
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