Any ideas, suggestions,thoughts are welcome! We are in the ST Gallen area.
We just moved here 5 months ago from California and after we had something set up in Romanshorn the school told us they couldn't accommodate him. So now he is at a very expensive international school that we can't afford and might force us to go back. Anyone has had experience relocating with a 15yr old to Switzerland? He doesn't speak German or French. We tried to see if we could get him into an apprenticeship but he would have to pass a test in German to be placed in one and it would take about a year to find him a spot. He is taking german but it's probably not enough to get him into a good apprenticeship.
Have you asked the cantonal government for advice on how to proceed? Maybe they can find a solution in another school even if its further away.
However, if he speaks zero German they he is going to be struggling in a local school, potentially affecting his development and education, for a good while until he learns it.
Personally, I would be hesitant before placing a 15-year old kid with no language ability in a local school at such a critical point in his education. The disruption to his learning from the language in combination with the different curriculum will likely be huge.
Have you considered an English boarding school, at least until he finishes his GCSE's and A-levels? That way his curriculum will be in English and he can take German as an option for the next few years. It's also likely much cheaper than the International school here.
I cost is an issue, you could try a boarding school in India.
Your son has a right, under Swiss law, to be educated in the Swiss system. At least for another year or so...
15 is a very difficult age to be integrated into the schooling here. Did you look into all the aspects before taking decisions and moving here. I know some who negotiated with their employer for private schooling otherwise a no go to move here. Difficult to do after the fact, but perhaps still worth discussing with them. Could he stay back home with friends or relatives? or parents live apart for a period of time until schooling is finished.
http://livinginstgallen.wordpress.co...king-children/
Defininately start to talk with the authorities.
It might be better if he could or at least think of living with relatives or friends in the U.S., Continuing his education there and go on to a nice college. Here he is in a really bad situation for schooling, without the language, which would take him some time. You would still be looking at an apprenticeship in the end here anyway and it might be in something he doesn't like or couldn't use in the U.S. later.
He is academic? What would he have studied in the US after compulsory school? And more importantly, how does he feel about coming here?
We've got a son here similar in age, but he'd gone through Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur before coming. Now he's catching up in grammar but can understand most of what's going on.
Have you thought about an on-line virtual charter school from California, if you still have any shreds of residency left there?
I also second the idea of thinking of favorite relatives to stay with back home, with whom you wouldn't mind deepening your relationship.
Another thing we considered was simply taking a year "off" just to take intensive German classes and then start up again next year.
Then he can use this year as a precious time not only to learn German but also to explore whatever areas he's passionate about ... which will not hurt him getting into a good college.
We had an exchange student with us last year in the US and that is essentially what he did with his schooling, as his year in the US didn't count for anything official.
We still think this wouldn't have been a bad idea for our son.
There's also homeschooling (many configurations possible) if you pair that with getting involved in some regular intergenerational community activities and/or sports.
PM if you want to discuss.
All cantons offer integration classes for 15 year-olds and older, where they have intensive German. You can google "Brueckenangebote" and the name of your canton.
In St Gallen it is at the Gewerbliches Berufs-und Weiterbildungszentrum, and is called Integrationskurs
http://www.gbssg.ch/brueckenangebote...tionskurs.html
It seems to cost about 1150 Fr in total for the year. I can't understand why they didn't tell you about this.
This course is for 15 to 21 year-olds. They have 16 taught lessons of German per week plus another 16 lessons of self-study. Your son can probably learn good German in a year there.
Hi,
Not so long ago I was writing pretty much the same post you just wrote....We had moved here from Israel, and my son actually spoke some Swiss German and German, could read German and yet at some point he refused to continue in the regular school system. The international school and Hull's school were unaffordable for me. I actually heard that there was a program in Zug with apprenticeships that were mainly in English, maybe you could inquire there ? I also heard of a boy from the States who did school work from his former school over the internet. In our case, we struggled for a year, and recently my son moved back to Israel, without us.... He is staying with relatives and completing high school. I was very disappointed by the fact that the international schools don't offer any grants and that in fact there was no real solution for him here. I hope you find a solution, don't give up easily.
How can they refuse to take him? Is it not law that he has to be in school. If you can't afford a private school then surely they have to place him in a state school.
This could be a good option, as Meryl and jtangpublic posted-getting a GED or high school equivalency diploma. Is homeschooling/correspondence course/tutoring a possible option? Could your former school help you out? If so, getting his high school diploma might allow your son to continue his education at the college level in the US and would also keep your family together for now (my heart breaks at the thought of sending either one of my kids away to live with relatives or friends!) He'd have to be really motivated, and it could be lonely at times, but he'd keep more options open for his future.
Also, keep in mind that, if he spends one year back in California (his senior year), your son will be eligible for in-state tuition in the UC system.
Your child is in a very fragile age.....Sending him back with relatives shouldn't even be an option. At least as far I am concern. You could work with one of the solutions provided here but have the kid with you. That is something that I'll have to deal with next year (mine will be 13) but not having my child with me is totally out of the question. More effort, more reading and a bit of good faith and everything will go fine! Don't worry.......
He is right at the end cut off age for compulsory schooling in CH. A bit canton dependent on the exact cut-off age/date.
I sincerely feel for you, as this is certainly a difficult and complicated decision for you, and your son.
The biggest problem is having "choices". If you arrived from a less developed country, you would sieze any opportunity to integrate into Switzerland. People do it all the time.
Yet, as an American, you probably feel caught between two countries, and maintain the choice of going back, or sending him back.
Is this a permanent move for you? If yes, where do you want to be, as a family, in 10 years. The way you handle today's decisions can have a big impact upon yhe future.
If you think international school is expensive, calculate a lifetime of international travel, just to visit with your son. It may be more reasonable to finance a local education now.
So many choices, and decisions.... Many of us have been exactly in your shoes! Keep strong!
Yes, but 13 is not 15. I know some 13 year olds who were placed in the intensive German language program and that worked out well. But at 15 a child has almost reached the age limit for compulsory eduction and this restricts the options.
As Odile asked of the OP, what does the 15 year old want to do? Learn a trade or attend university?
It is important to know your son. Is he academic? Has he thrived in school? From our experience, the international schools cater to academic students, and often do not encourage a normal high school diploma. It is more often Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate diploma programs. If he has not been prepared for this, even the international school may not fit his needs.
Another option is
This is a wonderful on-line GED academy, which has long distance tutors included. It is quite user friendly and flexible, and very AFFORDABLE. Your son can work at his own pace and once he is ready ( and of age, 17 or 18), schedule a GED exam in Geneva.
However, if you take this route, he will need to return to USA for further studies and he will not benefit from integration into Switzerland.
As with all decisions, PROS and CONS.
All the best to you, and your family, as you examine the choices.
I wish we had known about this!!! Our son is now too old, at 22. :-(
Just re-read the OP. Five months is a long time- did you not enrol him in an intensive German course on arrival- and continued with intensive tuition during the Summer to help him? By now, he should be getting to good communicative level, with a good basic grasp of Grammar. Did you try to enrol him at the local school where you live- or tried to get him in a school out of the official 'catchment' area (which is almost impossible to do here).
Starting a new school in a new country, without any of the language, at 15 is extremely difficult. Much easier in the UK where there is more choice of subjects, and where one can continue to study post 16 in a very limited number of subjects (4, then only 3 for final year). Students here do 3 years instead of 2 in UK for senior/pre uni level, and most students finish compulsory schooling at 15. The Gemeinde is not likely to agree to take him on in the middle of the year. This is really tough- and of course we do not know about your circumstances- but I really feel for your poor son. Streaming in Switzerland between academic and vocational studies is done early, and to access the academic streams a student has to have excellent command of German, French or Italian, in order to be able to deal with the demands of the course, and also good knowledge of a second national language. We can argue about the pros and cons of this until the cows come home- but for now it is a fact that any parent of children over the age of 9 should understand before coming here.