Job Discussion Forums

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

Friends of mine in the DR have asked if I would consider helping them start a bilingual school.

Any thoughts, positive or negative, on doing this?

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Depends--How much money do they want you to invest?

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

None. The responsible party has lots of money but seeks an educated, bilingual American to serve as director. This would be their second school, the first that would be bilingual and serve the expat community on the north coast.

I am interested in knowing more about accreditation.

Initial ideas are to start at the k-6 level.

Carina_Cisneros · Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:18 am Post subject: Accreditation?

This is perhaps a silly question, but what does accreditation get you (or the school, or the students) with people so young, in a country probably lacking in grant-funding and such? Is the goal to get them into a well-known school, or later, an English-language university abroad, or are the goals more modest?

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

Not silly...

The people who would like to start this school have a vision of it turning into an accredited international school. They seek to attract wealthy expat students or wealthy Dominican students. The Dominican economy is looking up. The current president is a fan of business and his policies favor economic growth.

(As an aside, this country is not lacking in grant funding. I have seen dozens of programs sponsored in the DR. My first contact with the country was via a sponsored program. The Canadian government sets aside a certain percentage just for grant proposals. There are projects all over the place and more being developed.)

This is not to say this is not a poor country with plenty of needs...however there are also many opportunities.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Another elitist school for the brats of the oligarchy. Just what is NOT needed.

How about serving some of the needs of that poor country?

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

A good, solid education is very much needed and wanted and willing to be bought. It's a niche market, not available to everyone.

This is not a thread about philanthropy, it's most definitely a capitalist idea.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

sounds like a good idea.