Updates on Canadian International School Vietnam?

[Cangguru]

Hi guys any recent info to share on this school? Paid side reviews and recent forum posts suggest the school has a lot of issues but it seems to have divided into a bilingual school and an international school and the principals may have changed. It is apparently on the way to IB but not IB yet. Are things better there or is it a school to be avoided?

Please share your knowledge, o wise (but sometimes disgruntled) ones.

[Cangguru]

Ok thanks very much for the info, quite interested in the school as I've heard it is pretty solid with good new admin, but the reviews are terrible. Of course, links to the prime minister are good if administrators are fair and you're on the good side of the school, but very bad if not. Anyone have any other ideas?

[wntriscoming]

I know a bloke who was there the last two years. Good, solid, positive guy, full of energy and a good teacher. He said it was night and day from CIS to where he's working now in Saigon. He wouldn't go into details, which I respect, but he was clearly thrilled to be working in a different and better school. It has a lot of bling and an amazing campus, but it's not really regarded as a great school to work at in Saigon. For that, you'd have to look at ISHMC, Saigon South, or one or two others.

Yikes--just looked at their website. They're looking for 19 elementary teachers! That would mean about 95% of their staff is leaving...

[Cangguru]

Hmm thanks for the perspective. I last took a break from teaching because of getting burned out by the demands of difficult admin, and have a kid who would be attending wherever I work, so maybe that's a no then. At the same time, I'm just getting officially certified back home so have to be open to a lot. Is the problem there just challenging and disorganized bosses or is it more like broken contracts and bad academics? 19 teachers in one year definitely looks like a red flag. Thanks for your help, and sharing your knowledge. This board is a great one when people are not fighting about defining tiers :)

[Fraisinette]

Too bad! It was on my radar!

[tommypizza]

I know a lot of teachers at CIS. It seems to be a place for younger teachers...in their 20s. A great place to get started with an international career. The new campus is pretty flashy looking from the street but it was built very, very fast. Most are under the opinion that it will start cracking in the coming years from shoddy workmanship. It also seems to be a place that you keep your head down and do your job. If you want to live in Saigon, you could do a lot worse. Really FUN staff!