Email: recruiting@amschool.edu.sv

Helpful Hints for New Teachers

Books and School Supplies:  The School has excellent library and textbook resources, however, if you have special units or special materials for bulletin boards or unique materials, which complement the curriculum, consider bringing them. The School will reimburse you for up to $100 for the shipping of these materials.  (Please keep your voucher to claim a reimbursement.)  The technology at Escuela Americana is PC based with good software support.  Microsoft Office is the package of choice and we use GradeQuick as our electronic grade book.

Clothing:  Students wear uniforms.  Escuela Americana, for the faculty and staff, projects a neat, professional image.  The standard of dress at EA is more conservative than one might find in many schools in the United States.  Faculty dress guidelines are dresses, skirts, blouses, slacks for women and short-sleeved shirts and lightweight slacks for men.  Many men wear ties.  While there are exceptions due to special activities, in general, blue jeans, workout clothing, shorts, mini-skirts, T-shirts, sun dresses, halter tops, earrings for men, and tennis shoes detract from the professional image of the staff and should not be worn during the work day.

Administrators will be happy to help if you are uncertain about any particular type of attire.  Light cotton is recommended.  A sweater or light jacket is all you will generally need.  Sun protection is recommended when going to the beach.  An umbrella is all you will need for the rainy season.

Communications:  Direct dial service is available, as well as telex, fax and Internet.  ATT, MCI and Sprint are available.

Credit cards and Travelers Checks:  Travelers checks are not easy to exchange.  U.S. dollars are accepted anywhere; the Salvadoran economy is dollarized.  Master Card, Visa and American Express are readily accepted here, however, it is strongly suggested that you notify the company of your use of the card in El Salvador.  Many of the companies will block your usage in another country without prior notice to them.

Entertainment:  The closest Pacific beaches are only 40 minutes to the south of San Salvador; so many city residents spend Sunday (or the weekend) at the beach, or at beach clubs often.  There are swimming pools as well as beautiful sandy beaches, and the surfing is excellent.  There are two crater lakes that are used for recreational water sports within easy reach of San Salvador.

A wide variety of excellent restaurants and nightclubs are found throughout the city, with many opportunities to try Salvadoran and other international foods.

San Salvador’s theaters show U.S. films in English with Spanish subtitles.  VHS videocassettes, and DVD's can be rented at the local Blockbuster and other stores.  Cable TV is available, with several English language channels.  The National Symphony is quite respectable; there are continuous artistic presentations and the local art galleries display a wide variety of very prolific artistic productions.

Household Items:  There are, of course, two methods of bringing goods with you to El Salvador – on the plane with you or by shipping.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both. 

If bringing by plane with you, used household items are generally duty free.  New items may be subject to tax if above the customs declaration total of $1000.00 per person.   Most items may be purchased locally; however, they are or may be more expensive than if bought in the United States, because of the import taxes.

The drawback to bringing them on the plane with you is the limitations to the amount of luggage the airlines allow you.  Generally, you can bring two pieces of luggage not weighing more than 70 pounds each and one carry-on bag of 15 pounds or so.  There are restrictions, by the airlines, as to when cardboard boxes may be flown on the flights (generally during the summer months), but it may be possible to ship your items here on the cargo flights.  Upon the booking of your flights to El Salvador, our Human Resource Director will be able to help you with the restrictions that are currently in place.

Having said that, we recommend that you bring all items with you as excess baggage, if possible.  Even though this will cost a little more in overweight charges, it will save on delays and the possibility of your bags being misdirected.  Check your baggage through to San Salvador from your point of origin.  Do not send new material in original boxes – repack everything that is new.  You will need to stay in contact with the airlines for restrictions and for help in shipping your bags with you.

Shipping goods here is certainly possible although you will need to be sure that the timing of the shipment’s arrival coincides with your arrival in El Salvador.  There is a warehousing fee assessed by Customs as well as a duty tax on certain shipments.   The School cannot help with customs charges or storage fees, though we can help with advice on how to work with the system here.

Upon arrival, you will find that the School has provided you with a cup, plate, bowl and flatware to help you until your items arrive or you purchase some here.  We suggest you bring the following items:  flatware, lightweight dishes, kitchen knives, frying pan, bed linens and pillow(s), towels, coffeepot, blender, iron, casserole dish, juicer, microwave, TV/music equipment, fan, and personal computer (if desired – all faculty have networked, internet ready computers and printers available for use at the school).  These items may be available for purchase from teachers that are leaving, if you make the proper arrangements.  Local earthenware is beautiful and you will probably begin collecting your own once you are here.

Packing:  Duffel bags are recommended for unbreakable items and they hold a lot.  Suitcases, with clothing for padding, generally serve well for fragile items.  Lock each piece and label all baggage clearly.  Hand-carry one piece of luggage with important documents and valuable items with you on the plane.  As stated before, airlines occasionally limit the number of bags you can carry on, stow in cargo, or the shipping of cardboard boxes.  Work closely with your local travel agent and the airlines.

School Housing:  The school offers its imported staff housing in lovely townhouses with a central pool, nestled on the far end of the campus with 24 hour gated security.  The townhouses are nicely furnished, although not luxuriously, so all you will need to bring are those items needed to give them your personal touch.  Housing may be occupied by or shared with two teachers, but each teacher will have a private bedroom and bathroom.  There is a monthly maintenance fee that covers electricity, water, security, pool and grounds maintenance.  Each townhouse has a private phone line; the School pays the fixed telephone fee, residents are responsible for local and international phone charges.

Services:  Electricity is 110 volts, so adapters are unnecessary.  It is recommended that you bring any small appliances, which are part of your lifestyle.  Voltage regulators and back up batteries are recommended, especially for your computer.

Water:  Tap water is chlorinated, but it is best to buy bottled drinking water, which is available for delivery to the Complejo in 5 gallon bottles, three times a week.

Shopping:  San Salvador has several chains of modern grocery stores.  You will find a great variety of local, U.S. and imported goods from other areas. Local vegetable markets are easily accessible as well. San Salvador has 3 large malls and many smaller shopping centers, which offer goods from Central America, the U.S. and other countries.  Imported items, as everywhere, are likely to be more expensive than purchased in their place of origin.

There is also a PriceSmart (like a Sam’s Club or BJ’s in the US) in San Salvador.  This is a membership club; dues are $25.00 and have been the same for the last 4 years. Items can be purchased for reasonable prices there, although, again, some items are more expensive because of the import taxes.

Toiletries, Cosmetics, Medicines:  Most goods can be found here.  If you need prescription medicine, it is wise to bring enough to hold you over until you return to the United States.  This will alleviate unnecessary stress while you confirm being able to have your prescription filled locally.

Medical Services:  Modern medical facilities are available.  Many doctors have studied in the U.S. or Europe and many speak English.  The school provides international medical insurance, paying 75% of the premium, with either a local company or an international one.  Both types of coverage are subject to a deductible and a small co-payment.    Hepatitis A, B and Typhoid immunizations are recommended but not required.  It is not necessary to take malaria pills.

Transportation: The school owns a van, which schedules periodic trips for groceries, etc.  Many teachers buy their own cars here, and there are often used cars available.  The living quarters, known as the Complejo, are on the school grounds so faculty generally walk to work.

Gasoline currently costs $3.00 a gallon for premium.  If you consider bringing a car, please be sure to inquire about the customs procedures.   Taxis are available at moderate prices.   Bus transportation throughout the country as well as to neighboring Guatemala, is plentiful and varying in quality.   Airline options between the U.S and El Salvador are plentiful.  There is a $27.50 exit tax when departing the country.

Mail:  Air Mail service to the U.S. usually takes 10-12 days.  Express and courier services are also available at a charge, reducing service to 5-7 days.

Salary:  Salaries for teachers at Escuela Americana are competitive with other international schools in the area.  Teachers live comfortably and may be able to save a portion of their salary.  El Salvadoran taxes are assessed on total income (between 14-17% depending on your tax bracket), but your income is generally below U.S. exclusions for citizens living abroad and therefore tax free in the U.S.  If you have specific tax questions, please consult your accountant or a tax specialist.  EA can make recommendations if you would like.

In general terms, you may plan on the following expenses while teaching at Escuela Americana:  

Due to the fact that during your first year at Escuela Americana you will have lived in El Salvador for less than 200 days, Salvadoran Law requires an income tax payment of approximately 25%.  This is applicable only for your first year. In order to help you out, the school will pay $450.00 towards that expense. This first year will represent an additional expense of about $200 in taxes but that rate drops in your second and subsequent year.

Professional Development:  There is opportunity to obtain continuing education credit with some faculty enrolled in graduate programs.  Master Courses are taught through Framingham State College (Massachusetts) with a 50% support of continuing education tuition (though the percentage paid by EA increases based on a teacher’s tenure with EA), with special opportunities to take Spanish and computer literacy courses at no cost.

Miscellaneous:   New teachers are asked to arrive two weeks prior to the start of the school year, but not earlier than July 20th. The arrival date will be communicated to each new teacher at the time of the contract offering. The school year typically runs from mid-August until early June, with faculty orientation taking place the week before classes begin. The school has holidays at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Holy Week in the spring, and generally, the school year ends in early June. Each calendar year also includes additional, observed Salvadoran holidays.

The normal school day at Escuela Americana begins at 7:45 am and ends at 3:00 pm.  Teachers are expected to arrive by 7:30 am and remain until 3:30 pm, or later.  There are regular faculty meetings, department and grade level meetings, and many staff members sponsor clubs and activities for which the school pays additional compensation.