Teacher FAQs

Teacher FAQs

This page is assembled for prospective and en route teachers and their families. Please let us know if there is a topic missing.

The School

  1. Q. When does the school day start and end? Classes begin at 7:30. We meet for devotions as a faculty every morning at 7 AM. It is quite early, especially if you are not used to that, but it does grow on you and it also means that we are finished our classes at 2 PM, and free to go at three.
  2. Q. What is a full time load for high school? 5 classes, which is in most cases 5 preps.
  3. Q. In terms of curriculum, is there anything in place for all classes? Yes, most classes are well established in that respect. Sometimes, major changes are made (such as when a new textbook series is implemented), and then an overhaul of the school curriculum documents would follow.
  4. Q. If I was offered a job when would I have to be in Suriname? Mid July would be ideal
  5. Q. When is the beginning and ending of school? I assume here that you mean in the calendar? We begin around August 10 and end in the first week or so of June. We have three weeks at Christmas.
  6. Q. What is the process for getting a work visa in Suriname? The process for getting a work visa is a cooperative one with our office. We supply a letter of employment and the form. You submit that along with the fee and your passport to the consulate either in Miami or one that is close to you. That should be done five or more months in advance.After that you can apply online for an evisa. That should be done three plus months in advance.
  7. How many students in the school? 85 (2022)
  8. What is school calendar? When does the school year begin and end? Second week of August -first week in June.
  9. How does one apply to IAS? Click here (online form(preferred)) here (manual form). From there, the process is roughly as follows and can be tracked here once you apply:
    ☐ Submission of all documents (resume/CV, statement of personal faith/testimony, philosophy of Christian education, copies of degrees/certificates/diplomas)
    ☐ Provision of references
    ☐ Invitation to submit the IAS Teacher Application form
    ☐ Interview with IAS
    ☐ Invitation to complete the BCM Questionnaires (1 & 2) if IAS would like to proceed further with the candidate.
    ☐ Contract offer extended if candidate is approved by BCM
    ☐ Application for MKV (work permit) usually 5+ months prior to expected arrival (involves physically sending passports of applicants and all dependents and a processing fee to Miami or closest Suriname consulate office)
    ☐ Application for Visa usually 2+ months prior to departure

Families

  1. Q. What does housing look like? Does the school have housing? Are there apartments or houses? Housing is western/North American-style. We have several houses and several apartments, but the apartments are parts of free-standing houses.
  2. Q. What about housing for families? Our homes vary from 3 bedrooms down to 1. We also have a large unit with 4 bedrooms. It was newly built in 2019 for the single girls, but it is under-used at the moment, with only one person.
  3. Where/how do the teachers live? Teachers live in school-owned housing. There are family units, single apartments, and there’s a single female teacher’s flat (new in 2020). That is spacious and beautiful. Your home is included in the salary for expatriates.
  4. Is there a salary, or are the teachers on support? There is a salary. No support is needed. Travel to and from is included at beginning and end of your contract (not in between contracts). Your salary would be quite comfortable considering that many of your living expenses are covered, but a lot less than what you would get in the US. However, it is a net salary, so the school pays all the deductions and local taxes. School also pays utilities and provides you with internet and a phone/SIM. You are paid in US dollars, so until the US fiat monetary system collapses, you are shielded from the vicissitudes of the Suriname economy.

Children

  1. Q. What is it like raising kids in Paramaribo? Raising kids here is wonderful. Life is free, safe and quiet. With the IAS community, combined with the church community, we and our kids feel quite connected. There is a Friday evening Youth Nite that is looked forward to by parents and youth.

Suriname

  1. Q. What kinds of “western things” should I take with me? Everything you could want is available in Suriname, so there is no need to bring much more than your personal clothes and items.
  2. Q. Is there an Amazon service to Suriname? Yes, we have a freight forwarder in Miami who sends freight by air daily and by sea 1-2 times per month for very reasonable and reliable rates. For smaller items using the air service, you get your delivery 1-2 weeks after it arrives in Miami. Sometimes sooner.
  3. What is like living in Paramaribo, especially for English speakers who only have as a second language a crippled Tok Pisin? We love it in Paramaribo. The climate is great (better than we thought it would be). It is safe. Infrastructure is in reasonably good condition. What they call a bad road is an extremely good road in PNG. There are wonderful places to go for vacations. Dutch is definitely an asset. Many people can speak English, and where they cannot, it does not really matter eg. At the grocery store. The school is 100% English speaking.
  4. How hot is it there? If hot, how ubiquitous is A/C? It is pleasant at night and around 75-80 during the day. Classrooms and offices and homes are all air conditioned, so you are never in the heat for very long. I don’t find it oppressive at all. I never go inside to escape the heat.