"Making it happen" for a family with school age children in an under developed country like Chad often boils down to the availability of quality education for their children. For over 50 years Team's Palmview School has provided just such quality education for the children of missionaries serving in Chad. The dedicated staff of this institution have been a crucial asset in the effective ministry of scores of missionaries through the years, and the continued staffing of this school remains priority for TEAM-Chad.
Palmview's purpose is to facilitate the academic and spiritual education of missionary children through classroom instruction and home school assistance. Many of the children who have come through Palmview have pursued a career in missions world wide. Palmview is an ACSI associate school, striving to provide high academic standards.
Palmview, while operated by TEAM is for the benefit of families serving with Evangelical mission agencies in Chad with children in the primary grades. It is a small operation with boarding facilities capable of housing aproximately 16 children. The student population over the last decade has seldom exceeded a dozen students. These students were from several Evangelical mission organizations, including WEC, Wycliffe, as well as World Vision. The student body has ranged from 11 children in 7 grade levels, to 3 in 2 grades.
The staff consists typically of one or two full-time professional teachers who are sometimes helped by part-time aids drawn from the local missionary community as schedules permit. The staff is entirely expatriate, and the school is conducted in English.
The facilities are situated on the grounds of Koutou Station outside the city of Moundou. They consist of two classrooms for the eight elementary grades and a dormitory for boarding students from other regions of Chad. A large play area surrounds the school and a security wall protects the pleasant 15 acre property.
The small size of the school and wide range of ages, dictate the operation to be much like that of a one room school of old with several of the grades in one classroom. This demands dedication, efficiency, and ingenuity on the part of the teaching staff. Much effort is given to keep the learning experience abreast of modern technologies and of the highest calliber. The eclectic curriculum is purchased from various vendors in the American Christian School industry. Though American based, the school program is customized to accommodate the students who come from various lands of citizenship including several European countries, Australia & Canada.
Kathryn Weber is the principle teacher with 11 years of teaching experience, the last 5 of which have been in Chad. She shares the teaching responsibilities with Jane Broman who home schooled her own children who are now in sucessful careers. Kathryn must return to Canada for home assignment in 2006 as she has already extended a year beyond the normal term of service, without leave. Finding someone to partner with Kathryn and bridge the gap during home assignments is a priority for the Chad field. To a very real extent, the future of the school's effectiveness hangs in the balance because of the reduction of staffing. We are looking for any single or couple who is capable of teaching with the organizational abilities to assist in running a small institution. Any self-confident individual with a few years of teaching experience, a willingness to learn, and a resilient personality should be equal to this task.
Even if you are new teacher fresh out of school or someone who would feel a bit overwhelmed by the organizational aspect of things, would nevertheless be a welcome addition to the staff. Do not hesitate to apply! Before their arrival in Chad it is beneficial to have completed the teacher certification procedures required of ACSI / elementary-school teachers in his or her home state or province. We are also willing to consider short term applications for those who are willing to teach but have not yet completed all their certification requirements.