Sorry i dont buy it, not on any significant level anyway.

First, like most claims, they sound better if theres an element of truth to them. While some schools particularly the elite schools in europe that have very, very, very low turnover, it can seem that those schools are very close, and they are. New staff, especially when such schools often hire a single person in a year, can feel like an outsider. I can understand how someone might have the feeling even though its a maturational effect, and not a planned collaboration.

Second, OK there are some for profit schools, where the owner or head of the school will put a person close to them (spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, family member) in a leadership position that they are not qualified to really do. Nepotism is very much alive in the world, but its no more common or different in an international school then it is anywhere. Back when I was in the states, the school board would hire friends, or family on occasion.

Third, I'm sure on a very, very small scale it happens. 1)Maybe a new school or a school trying to reinvent itself will hire a new head, and that person may bringa few people, but its hardly a conspiracy (happened a few years ago at Simmaras Academy in Indonesia). 2) Im also sure there are a couple horror stories where this has happened exactly the way your associate described, but they are like great white shark attacks, sensationalistic, but exceedingly rare.

HOWEVER, the level of conspiracy your post alleviates too, just isnt very feasible.
1) Teaching couples have a difficult enough time finding schools with vacancies for both spouses, much less to arrange positions for a whole slue of friends.
2) Teachers dont make hiring decisions and Im pretty sure any teacher who required such consideration for friends and coworkers would be laughed out of the interview.
3) International Teachers are not at-will employees, they have a contract, and they cant just be dismissed. Even in places where this would be easier, the majority of the remaining faculty wouldnt tolerate it.
4) Administrators dont really have that many friends, sorry its just not true. The teachers that work under an administrator, might very well be "friendly" with them, but they arent their friend. An admins going to have his family, and maybe 1 or 2 junior administrators they might consider friends, and even then its unlikely to be THAT close/serious of a relationship.

Ok so personally my experience is this. A teachers aid at a school I was at basically became involved with the principal. It wasnt an affair or anything, and while it wasnt secret they were discreet. At the end of the year one of the PYP5 teachers was let go for falling enrollment. When the new year started, an unexpected increase in enrollment in PYP1 required another teacher. The principal decided to place the teachers aid that he was dating into the PYP classroom... Now before you feel vindicated a couple of points to consider. First, this person wasnt certified as a teacher but did have a degree (B.Ed), and about 3 years experience, 2 as a full time aid (in early years PYP), and 1 year as a substitute. Second, its PYP1, which is little more then kindergarden/nursery. Third, our principal brought it up at the first staff meeting for professional development before the school yer even started. He didnt ask anyones permission, or ask for a vote. He simply informed the staff, and asked if there were any comments. We spent about an hour, asking questions, and giving opinions. He was very receptive, and calm. Some of the comments made were very abrasive, and embarrassing. Now you could argue pretty easily her relationship got her the job, and id agree with you, but there wasnt anything sinister about it, and honestly, we all "hope" to do the same thing really, we just call it "networking".

*Sigh*, let the verbal assaults commence....

I dont know what the package would be for a bilingual school so I dont know if its fair to compare them. But to give you some insight:

1) Professional Opportunities: You cant do anything after teaching ESL/EFL except teach more ESL/EFL. After two years at an international School (IS) in Thailand (preferably with IB experience) you can move on and up to better schools. You can transfer IS experience, not so much with a LS (language school). IB training is valuable and marketable anywhere. If you ever want to get a doctorate or a Masters (from a top level school), education departments are unlikely to consider LS experience when considering you for admission or funding.

2) Prestige: LS's are pretty much entry level jobs. No one considers them seriously. I did JET after college and when i came back it didnt really impress anyone at all. A tier one IS on the other hand, is going to look like "professional experience". On top of that you have networking, not just other teachers but past students when you teach somewhere you are automatically building contacts with people youve never met. My consulting work I do, because my boss was a student at the same school I taught at in China.

3) Hours/Perks: You have a heavier course load at LS's 30 or so teaching periods a week, and they really only pay you based on your teaching periods. At an IS 20 hours is more the norm, and you get paid an hourly rate for extras like tutoring and club work. At an LS you may find yourself under resourced with supplies and materials. At an IS (a tier 1 school) your going to have all the things you need. Your also going to get access to little perks, such as free printing, copying, WiFi, etc. Your school will most likely give you a free lunch (and you can drink a beer with that on campus). You will actually get to know your co-workers, who will likely be helpful. The office staff will take care of a lot of "paperwork" such as paying your internet bill, and your police clearance to work with children. Depending on the LS your at you might never really get to know anyone but your supervisor, and the secretaries (and the secretaries will be unhelpful).

4) 10K Baht is only about $325 or 205£. So that 60K to 70K baht difference is your pension, and another 10K Baht or 70K to 80K Baht is your "nice summer"? 60K is only 1,200£ to begin with.

5) At an IS in Thailand pretty much ALL (100%) of your salary is going to be available for discretionary spending. pension, or whatever. Your going to have housing, utilities, airfare, insurance paid for. You will probably get 1-3 free meals a day on campus. Basically, the only thing you will have to pay for yourself for sure is your mobile phone, and stocking the fridge with beer (your apartment may or may not have internet and satellite). Everything else (including eating out) I lump under entertainment expenses. So it might be lean but at 1200£ a month (a 60K Baht salary) you could bank 200£ and live off the remaining 1000£ (or $50K Baht) still very nicely, considering you could pretty much do what ever you want with it, as you wont have really any bills that arent paid for. Really, I think your discounting the Cost of Living in a place like Thailand.

Imagine living in London and you contribute 200£ a month to your pension. You dont have to pay rent on your flat, and no utility bills, heres some AVERAGE costs:

Basics:
Monthly Metro Pass 18.93 £
Internet (6 Mbps, Flat Rate, Month) 11.62 £
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile/1 SMS (non plan) 0.03 £
(thats 6 £ for 200 minutes/messages a month)
TOTAL: 36.55 £
(that leaves 963.45£ left over and youve paid all your bills)

Restaurant:
Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-courses 12 £
Combo Meal at McDonalds 2.5 £
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) 1.15 £
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 1.72 £
Cappuccino 1.40 £
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) 0.34 £

Entertainment:
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 3.00 £
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 1.51 £
(It would not be "appropriate" to list the "other" forms of "night life" entertainment that Bangkok is known for in this forum).

Market:
Milk (regular), 1 liter 1.07 £
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) 0.71 £
Eggs (12) 1.12 £
Fresh Cheese (1kg) 10.76 £
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) 2.16 £
Apples (1kg) 1.32 £
Oranges (1kg) 1.75 £
Potato (1kg) 0.76 £
Lettuce (1 head) 0.21 £
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 0.31 £
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 10.87 £
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 1.06 £
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 1.68 £
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 1.51 £

Clothing:
1 Pair of Levis 501 23.07 £
1 Pair of Mens Leather Shoes 40.92 £
1 Pair of Nike Shoes 52.83 £

Hows that 963 £ leftover looking? Just to give you an example of your neighbors:
Median Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) 286.46 £

Your making 3 times that in DISPOSABLE income after all your bills....

Thats why I didnt include BISS personally, its all the cost without the gloss.

If your looking more for the British prep school experience Dulwich is the choice.

BISS has more of a HK/Singapore feel to it.

Go for the Swiss jobs then, your just the kind of candidate they are looking for. You'd really have to be lucky for a vacancy in Japan or Singapore to open up (there are only a couple schools that offer Spanish).

Most letters dont really mean very much. The fact that you have 9 years of service at the same school without complaint, is going to speak volumes of your capabilities and performance. An aseptic form letter is all they are going to need, to know you didnt have any problems.

Yeah its kind of dead on there, but you didnt really get a huge response because there wasnt a lot of disagreement or controversy on this issue.

Many initial contracts are for 2 years, and most schools ask for confirmation of returning staff around November/December for the next year. Some people give notice and dont find a better position, some dont give notice and just leave at the conclusion of their contact. Some break contract and leave.

While it does happen very few teachers once being in the international market go back to teaching in the states, so it doesnt happen often. I havent been back in over 5 years and have no desire too. Most teachers dont transition too often. Each new contract is a two year commitment, and most teachers put down roots pretty quickly (around the 6 year mark is average) when they finally get into the region they want. So the average teacher doesnt change positions too many times.

I'm really sorry but there isnt a secret formula or strategy. Some people end up unemployed or taking less desirable positions then the ones they had. Counseling is a position people usually stick with and while their are vacancies every year its an admin position, and most schools dont have more then one counselor, so their arent a large number of positions yearly.

You seem pretty risk aversive, and really focused more on a working vacation, the reality is people that succeed in this market have a certain sense of adventure, and dont really share your cautious approach when it comes to job searching. Maybe you should stay home if you want a guaranteed job???

OK that being said, I'll answer your question:

So in addition to being risk aversive, I sense your also a rules junkie. The reality is if you want to jump ship, you dont give notice to your current school, and you search for a better job. If you accept a new position, you leave at the end of your contract. It doesnt matter what your old school thinks, because you already have a new job and contract.

Schools really only check work history at your last school, and after two years even if they went back further, any negative reference is going to be a couple years old already. Even if they did what are they going to say you did? "You left at the end of your contract". You didn't give them as much advance notice as they wanted, not really a horrible crime. At some of the elite schools they might frown on it, but if they wanted you anyway, thats not going to stop them.

About the only time this becomes a problem, is in some countries in the middle east, and China where employers have some strong influence over work visas, etc. In China for instance if you break contract, you could have a problem getting your visa and work permit renewed at another school in China. In Saudi Arabia, you cant get an exit visa without your employers permission. It could cause problems in other countries as well.

I dont know the specifics of your states certification, but internationally primary school education is a separate qualification (people actually get degrees in Early Childhood Education). A K-12 french certification is going to be seen as qualifying you to teach french. If you want I assume you could take your states elementary/primary certification exam and become qualified to teach elementary/primary. I think this is a good idea for you to do, since primary is a very common field for teaching couples, usually one partner has a very in demand field, and one spouse is a bit weaker then the other. Most schools will save a primary school position or two for just such instances, where they need to accommodate a teaching spouse with a vacancy. Id argue that the primary certification would be more valuable then an English Lit. certification. You should understand that most English Lit positions are at the IB Dip. level, which you really have to know what your doing, and a school admin is going to look at your resume, and see that you havent taught english and have no experience in it, and with other candidates who likely are better qualified, an english certification alone would be a hard sell.

Lightstays brought up a very good point, though I have a different perspective. I'd say the elite schools (the top tier 1 schools) and host language schools (teaching french at schools actually in france) would only really consider a native language speaker. Many schools in the tier 2, and general tier 1 category would be fine with a fluent speaker.

While many people say you should only be interested in the top tier one schools anyway, with your experience, and narrow teaching areas its really unlikely that many if any of those schools would be interested in you. You have no International or IB experience and your french experience is really only applicable to a very small niche of schools, and I think if you held out for a top tier one school or elite school youd just be frustrated. Most of them have very few teaching vacancies a year anyway.

Typically teachers break into the international school market t a tier 2 school in Asia and then move onto a tier 1 school in asia or the tier 2 schools in Europe or High Desire Locations (Japan, etc).

well how hard would it be for you to take the test and pass it? I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand increasing your marketability can hardly be called a bad thing, and expanding your qualifications would over time open up schools, and regions that wouldnt be available to you otherwise.

Another perspective would go that a certificate in the eyes of an admin alone does not make a teacher. Usually schools state a requirement of "2 years experience", and what they really mean is 2 years experience teaching the subject your applying for.

Fortunately your situation spares the academic discourse of the subject. The reason being two fold: 1) French is not a very in demand field there were a dozen or so vacancies globally last year. So anything that moves you into a teaching category with more common and more plentiful positions is an advantage. 2) Your husband would be in very strong demand (especially with the IT) that means to make you a very desirable "teaching couple" you need to make yourself valuable to meet the teaching part of a teaching couple. An english certification (which the IB supports with a number of works of french literature from the world lit. list). Thats whats going to make you a very hot and attractive commodity to a hiring international schools, a teaching couple that they can use and fill 2 vacancies with. So if its not to difficult to pull off, and you can do so quickly and inexpensively (end of the holidays) I think you'd be making a very beneficial investment.

Look at Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) and International Schol of Beijing (ISB).

Thats not a fair generalization. First of all, Japan is not "Cheap" its consistently ranked the most expensive country to live in (and Tokyo, takes the crown). Given there are top schools in other countries that make 6 figures.

I have to think that your coming from a place in the States at either a public school, or a very average private school. I'm not trying to be rude, but the workload, and performance stress at the top schools in the WORLD, are just not in the same class as the typical teacher experience. These schools arent like NY union teachers who make $100K a year and do nothing. These are schools were teachers are in competition with EVERY OTHER school in the world to see their students out perform EVERY OTHER student on the PLANET....

Thats a tall mandate for an educator, and its a work flow that requires ever increasing and unprecedented creativity, energy, and mastery of ones field. It is a position that requires zombie levels of stamina, and persistence. These are students, teachers, administrators, and parents chasing the ephemeral last .01% down the rabbit hole, and when thats done, THEN being offered the blue or red pill....

The best explanation i can give you is its the difference between taking a kid whos training for their High School Sports Team, and that same kid training for Olympic Gold....

(and even thats a poor description)

My point is, those teachers earn their gold, because they do something only a small minority of professional educators can do over a sustained period of time (have you ever done the NTSB certification process? Theres several demo lessons on video you have to submit. Imagine having each and every lesson, of each and every day at that same level of delivery and performance. Thats what its like).
I have a great deal of respect for teachers like Android, who can work professionally at that level, and for the record, im not one of them. I tried, and couldnt do it, I also dont make 6 figures either.

I worked in Kyoto/Japan and I loved Japan, but hated the work. It wasnt the classes, the school the kids, the coworkers, the admins, the community. It was a top shelf experience and school, that being said the deal breaker for me was the amount of work. It was 60+ hours a week, 6/7 days a week. It just burned me out, and i never found enough time to do all the stuff "I" wanted to do. I always got the feeling that even though i wasnt required to do that much, I really couldnt say no, and i was always hearing from coworkers that if admins were not "pleased with your dedication/commitment" they would be able to quickly find someone who would "please" them. I didnt develop, or build a sense of "mutually content obligation". So while i'd like to go back to Japan, Id be weary about accepting another position at a high stress/pressure school.

Well I dont have a short answer. I cant say for you because i dont know your current status or position, what they offered, etc but I'd say "No". I wouldnt work in the middle east accept for one school in Abu Dhabi and Glenelg isnt that school.

I only interviewed with them, but the principal was very shady (Paul Sebastian). Kept changing things about the salary, insurance, housing, and work hours, class assignments (which were substantially lower then advertised). Acted like he was doing me a favor offering me a position at all, since they were such a global top tier school (kept comparing themselves to WAB). The interview was entirely job negotiation. After saying I'd "think about it" emailed me a few hours later, with a slightly better offer, but he'd have to go with another candidate if I didnt accept that day. I wrote him back, saying I'd decided to pursue other opportunities. Wrote me back a few minutes later (literally a few minutes) stating i didnt know what i was doing, and wasnt familiar with the international school environment, and that id regret losing the position he HAD offered me.

The problem is PTIS is in the middle of nowhere, its way out of Chiang Mai. They pay $28K for a BA+4 years and $34K for an MA+8 years, which is about 72,000 Baht a month and 87,000 baht a month respectively.

Even those amounts sound kind of laughable compared to a western salary, though the cost of living makes a huge difference. First year certified teachers with a BA were making $45K a year back in the states.
I was making 60K baht a month in BK and lived pretty well. I know people I worked with who didnt do anything and saved about $5,000 at the end of the year, which barely got them through the summer outside Thailand.

The past posters have given some really useful responses, especially Android (some of the simplest things can make a job go so bad).

Understand that his website is a dump site for negative comments. Its pretty much the complaint department that people use to vent, and to give a different perspective to the idea of "Toxic". Its because their is so little closure when a job goes bad and the reason I feel is because loosing an international position doesnt just interrupt your life, it uproots your home.

When your back home (in the States) and your job ata school district or with a private school goes wrong, and you loose your job. First, you know what to do, you understand the legal system, the language, what your recourses are. Maybe you have a union you can contact. Maybe you know the district has to give you a hearing, that you can appeal. You can if you want probabley hire an attorney and sue. Whatever you do, eventually you go home. And maybe you have a couple beers, or put in a movie and eat icecream, but you have a home to go to. Youve lost your job not your life.

When you loose an international job, which is usually in the first year, when the country is still pretty new and foreign to you. You dont know anything, and access to information is likely to be in a language you dont understand, so you dont know what you can do if anything. If your in asia, and you have provided housing the school isnt likely to let you stay in it for very long. On top of that your visa/wor permit is likely to become invalidated pretty quickly. Lastly, the school is likely to provide you a plane ticket with a very early departure. Basically, when you loose your job at an international school you have to go home and pack.

So you go home, pack, get on the plane and then where do you go when you land? You dont have a job, and probabley dont have a home. Its this feeling of powerlessness, that makes people so very angry, and thats why they describe such toxic experiences.

@wrldtrvlr123:

Yes, Switzerland is one region that has some schools with housing packages, but without an EU passport Switzerland is nearly impossible (not entirely) to get into. The compensation packages are really top of the ceiling for Europe, and I'd argue even globally.

@MMMC:

Actually I'm single and have no kids, and thats still my experience. You dont get paid more just because you have a larger family, and taxes on that salary are still the same. The incremental cost of larger housing may be smaller per individual but collectively is still larger , more rooms in your apartment, larger medical costs, greater food costs, etc.

Its actually pretty common with teaching couples in Europe to get dual relocation allowances, so 6000€ would pay for all the airfares and leave enough left over for your first month housing. In western europe, outside of a few schools in Switzerland, and a couple in the UK, housing packages arent included.

As wrldtrvlr123 pointed out and I just took for granted you pay tax on your WHOLE compensation package, including tuition waivers, and private insurance (other then national health schemes) and other allowances/stipends (including housing). The end of the year tax bill can be scary. Some countries, including Denmark, have a special tax for foreign employees (expats) that caps their tax at 25%-33% (mine will probably be 25%, but its a new system, so I dont know yet what will happen). Its still on my whole compensation, but I have national health plan, and dont receive a housing allowance, or package. So it will just be my salary (since my relocation allowance was paid upfront, and used in my 180 day tax free period), its still better then the 40% on average, or the 50% max it could be.

A high quality education is important to you for your kids, and honestly I wouldnt worry about it much. Any of the reputable international school will provide an eduation above what your kids would get at a public school back in the states, and would be equivalent to a good private school education. International Schools (for the most part) are really just private prep schools. DoDDS schools are different (more below) they have more similarities with public schools. The students are pretty much your "average, middle class) kids and families. It has its benefits (no ones going to expect your students to be all A students with perfect SAT scores, or that they will get into ivy league schools). It has its cons too (most of the kids move frequently, have adjustment issues, and other problems that accompany a "military" family.)
One issue in a top tier international school, is that (and not trying to offend you or insult you), most american students find themselves at a lower performance level then their peers. Usually a grade level lower. So if your child is above grade level in the states, they may well find themselves suddenly being "average", depending on the region, they may find cultural approaches to school work, and studying VERY VERY different, with a sudden and abrupt change towards academics needed. In Japan for instance at the secondary level, students practically live and breath school. They are at school by 7, they dont leave until 5 or 6, and when they get home they study for several more hours. A 15-16 hour focus on school related work is common.
In Denmark here our students at all age levels are highly motivated for high grades. Our 6th graders (MYP 1) students are for less concerned with dating, facebook, or video games and work very hard with a lot of effort to get A's. Its one of the issues we have at our school is that with such a high degree of performance and achievement its difficult to distinguish student success.

I looked up QSI's schools on search and while they did state a housing package, they also included a comment that "there are some exceptions". I dont know what those would be, but after looking at their website and where their schools are located, Id be willing to bet that Italy is one of the exceptions (and thats their only western european school).

You both sound like highly qualified and probably fully qualified teachers by DoDDS (DODEA) standards, and they dont care how big your family is they will pack your whole house, and ship it and your car overseas. They will fully pay your travel and housing (LQA, Living Quarters Allowance) while there. The only problem is that the DODEA hiring starts in June and ends at the end of September, well past the hiring time for international schools, and almost all the schools in Europe are fully staffed by then. If you have some DoDDS questions to ask you can try the following forum:
(http://teachers.net/mentors/DOD/)

Lastly, I was a past member of ISS, and am a current member of Search Associates, I like Search better, even though it has it irritants (like the constant job announcements out of the middle east). Ive been to ISS and Search fairs and I liked the ISS fair more, but the Search fair was honestly more productive for me. Ive still gotten the majority of my positions "on my own".