Hi,

Could anyone that has hands on with their child going to this school give me your thoughts. Strength, weakness, sports activities...

We have lived in China for almost 3 years, posible move to Kunming. We have boy, middle school student, very involved in sports.

Thank you :)

We have a child in in grade 10 and a child in grade 8 at KIA. I will do my best to answer your questions.

Strengths: KIA's strengths include the teachers, a solid education, and a good student body. The teachers seem to genuinely care for the students. It is not uncommon for teachers to go out of their way to help a student. One teacher knew our child was struggling in Algebra; therefore, she offered to tutor her two days a week for free. She didn't have to do this, but she cared enough and wanted to see her do well.

I am sure there are school where academics are better, but KIA offers a well rounded education. In the middle school and high school, KIA has seen very little turnover with teachers in the past few years. Most of these teachers are married; therefore, they do not usually move. It is a strength when a class is taught 4 and 5 years by the same teacher. There are several teachers in the high school with 10+ years of teaching experience.

At KIA and especially in the secondary, the student body is made up of a bunch of great kids. There isn't a single student in the secondary that I wouldn't want my children to be friends with. Kids will be kids; therefore, there are instances of silly pranks, but nothing ever major.

Weaknesses: In the past, the major weaknesses were a huge turnover of staff every year and facilities, but administration has addressed these issues. Two years ago, KIA moved to a modern school building. KIA spent a lot of money to renovate the school into a modern school. There are two computer labs full of new computers. All classrooms are equipped with a 3-D visualizer and a projector. Teachers have the equipment they need for the classroom. Also, the administration has tried to hire mostly families because families seem to slow down the mass exodus that occurred every few years in the past.

Currently, I believe the major weakness has been with the turnover in administration. The school has had 3 directors in three years. Next year, there will be a fourth director in as many years. The elementary principal is leaving after two years, and the school will have a new secondary principal because she will be assuming the director's role. Because of this constant change in leadership, there seems to be a new vision with each director. The director in waiting says she will be here for life; therefore, this problem should cease.

Sports: Because you son is very involved in sports, I am sad to report this will probably be considered a weakness by you. KIA has a boys and girls basketball team, boys and girls volleyball team, and boys soccer team for secondary students.

Although there are teams in these respective sports, very few games are played. The basketball team did play more games this year than the two previous years. Both girls and boys traveled to Zhongdian to play several games this year. The teams spent three nights in Zhongdian, and they played several games. Besides those games, they have played every year for several years in the Kunming city tournament. KIA got to play 4 or 5 games in this tournament this year. They could have played more if they had advanced out of the 1st round, but they played against Chinese schools that have a pool of over 1,000 students to choose from; therefore, it was difficult for them to compete. Besides the trip to Zhongdian and the Kunming city tournament, they have played a few pickup games here and there. Three times they have played the guards from the xiaoqu the school is located in. Nothing serious but still fun.

The soccer team practices a few times a week, and they basically play pickup games when they can. In the past, they have played a police team, Kunming school #5, and other various teams. More and more students are showing an interest in soccer; therefore, there may be more games in the future.

My thoughts: Overall KIA is a great place to raise kids. Our children love attending KIA, and they want to finish their high school years at KIA. The main reason KIA is weak in sports is due to a small secondary student body. There are less than 100 students in the secondary, and these students come from numerous countries. Therefore, it makes it difficult to be competitive in sports, and many students just aren't interested in sports. So the teams are small, the games are sporadic, and they haven't been the most competitive. You could go to international schools with better sports like Shanghai America School. They have baseball, basketball, soccer, and even swimming, but they also have a hefty tuition. Shanghai American cost about 100,000 RMB more a year than KIA. Maybe one day, KIA can offer more, but this will depend on the size of the student body.

On the other hand, KIA has done a great job in the arts. The past two years, the music teacher as well as other teacher helped produce two excellent stage productions. Last year, they performed Arsenic and Old Lace. Students did a great job performing before a packed house for three performances. This year, they hit a homerun with a Broadway musical—Guys and Dolls. Ms. Donaldson, the music teacher, has been a great addition to the school, and she is helping to develop a wonderful fine arts department.

Also, KIA is a Christian school I have read here in the past that KIA is not tolerant towards other religions, but this is not the case. There have been Christian students who have said things to non-Christian students, but the administration has handled these case firmly—even with suspension. The KIA administration and teachers are very excepting and tolerant to all faith. Although they are tolerant, all students regardless of faith must attend chapel once a week and character classes with are based on Christian values. Philosophy classes allow students to explore their own beliefs without pushing a faith on them. Therefore, I would strongly disagree that non-Christian students are not welcomed at KIA.

Sorry for the length of the response, but I wanted to give you as full a picture of KIA as I could.

seahorse62
Thanks for a wonderful report. Sounds like KIA is a great well-rounded place to send our children (assuming we can afford the tuition). Our kids currently attend a normal Kunming elementary (primary?) school - both classes are severely overcrowded with over 70 students per class. Every class from grades 1-6 are similarly overcrowded - and I hear most of the inner city schools in Kunming are the same.

The overall educational levels in Kunming, despite national standards, is by far sub-par compared to Beijing, Shanghai, etc - so I'm sure KIA is probably on par with or in some cases superior to their local neighbors.

This is one of Kunming's growing pains as the population spirals towards the 10 million resident goal.

"Although they are tolerant, all students regardless of faith must attend chapel once a week and character classes with are based on Christian values." That's disgusting and I wonder why the local government allows this crap. Education should be 100 percent separated from the poisons of religion. I respect Seahorse on this forum, so when he/she even acknowledges that there's been a number of "incidents" aimed at non-Christians, alarm bells go off big time.

Better to learn about one's potential enemy in a reasonably well controlled environment than to meet them in battle unprepared.

Dan, I don't understand your angst against religion, but I really don't want an explanation either. This thread was not started to debate if education and religion should coexist. Instead, it was started to inform. I personally believe religion has no place in public school for the masses. Prayer, reading of holy scriptures, or proselytizing has no place in public schools—no matter the religion. I wouldn't want a buddhist, Muslim, or cult member trying to influence my children, nor do I think a Christian should be using the classroom as a free opportunity to proselytize in a public classroom.

But KIA isn't a public school. They don't receive money from any government. Students are not required to attend KIA; instead, parents choose to send their children to KIA. Your closed mindedness seem far more detrimental than a private school that chooses to teach a certain way for parents who choose to send their children to a certain type of school—no matter the religion. I wouldn't send my children to a Muslim based school, but I have no problem with one existing. And to think pagans call Christians narrow-minded. What a joke.

Oh, one more thing. You twisted my words Dan. I never said "there had been a number of 'incidents' aimed at non-Christians." Instead, I said, "there have been incidents where Christians students have said something to a non-Christian student." This is hardly a "number of incidents." It has been twice in three years. They were boneheaded words, and students were dealt with. It is a very peaceful and accepting atmosphere. And I will let you know that their responses were not as damning as responses I have seen you make about religious people in the past. Why don't you learn to be a little excepting before you blast other for not.

Fair enough, although religious people used to burn us heretics on the stake and I bet a certain part of them wouldn't mind that happening again. Come to think of it, atheists and followers of other religions are still being persecuted to this day, but you are right, let's save that for another day.

I think it's fine that there is an alternative to the public school system in Kunming and KIA is probably doing a great job at that. I just find that ",,all students regardless of faith must attend chapel once a week and character classes with are based on Christian values." is a hopeless and backwards stance unfit for humanity in 2011, and I think I can read into your posts that you kinda agree with me that it would be better if these parts were stripped from KIA's agenda altogether.

One last thing: I honestly don't see any word twisting in rephrasing "there have been incidents where Christians students have said something to a non-Christian student." into "a number of incidents".

Thank you very much for taking the time seahorse62! this definately helps me out! We have heard alot about kunming and just wanting to find ground to finish highschool years. Kunming seems to be a nice place to raise children. We are not much of "livin in big city fans" but we all have to look at everything which will work for us all. The sports, is a big issue, I had a feeling we were going to run into this. I had a smile when you mentioned the guards playing basket ball. Our son did the same thing here on the Island for 2 years, with very little communication. We have recently went back to USA temporarily. Basket ball is his favorite sport, although he just might have to settle on minimum. :(
I do know of the Intl. schools in Shanghai, and have done some research. Huge school but many sports! :)
My husband work will come to end here soon. We are hopeful and plan to visit Kunming in Jan. [before I head back to the states] and will visit the school to get the feel.
Appreciate your help! Thank you! :)

Dear seahorse62,

what do you mean by "Christian" school? Catholic? Lutheran? Reformed? In the US, generic "christian" usually means baptists-pentecostals-generic low church, and usually pretty intense (maybe fanatical). As a Catholic, I'd be rather uneasy about my Catholic child being required to go to generic protestant services and perhaps be threatened with Hell if they didn't convert. Were I a Muslim, I'd be even more uneasy.

Zhu Bajie