Tips For Picking Your Child's Next School!

For many children the second semester of school has just begun. This is beginning of the countdown until summer and the end of the school year. However, for some children this is the beginning of the end of their life at a certain school. Whether that child is beginning school, in grade 6, grade 8, or grade 12 you and your child have to make a decision on what school they will attend next year. This can become a difficult decision and I want to provide some tips in order to smooth out the process.

1.Word of Mouth
Have any friends or family who has a child who has already made this decision? Maybe their child is currently attending the school your child is looking to attend? Whatever the case, speaking to other parents about their child’s experience is a great way to get feel for the strengths and weaknesses of that school.

2. Look Into What Makes School Unique
This point is best directed to those children graduating middle or high school, but does apply to some elementary school graduates. I’m of course talking about unique programs in each school. Yes, every public school has a general curriculum that they must follow, however some schools have special and unique programs. For example, Northern Secondary School has a fantastic gifted program. Anyways, the point is, you should figure out your child’s strengths (our evaluation can help with that) and find a special program that may help utilize their strengths.

3. Read About It
There are many magazines and journals, such as Macleans, that rank schools on a variety of categories. These categories range from academics to campus life. Overall, I found these lists a helpful tools for students looking at secondary education because it is one of the easiest ways to compare almost every college and university across Canada.

4. Visit The School
Almost every university and college offers campus tours that you and your child could attend. For schools in Toronto, one day tour would be enough. As schools in other cities, I recommend choosing a weekend and going up with your child to see the school. Wherever you attend, your child should be with you. It is them attending the school and they must feel comfortable on campus.

To attend an elementary, middle, or high schools it is a little more difficult. I recommend calling the school before you attend to ask their procedural for visiting their school. Listen to what they say and don’t break the rules. Once again, it is vital for your child to be with you, because they need to feel at home in order to learn properly. 

5. Where Are Their Friends Going?
You’ve done everything I’ve listed above and you’re still stuck? Well for some students, especially those going into high school, having a core of friends joining them in their journey is important to make sure they are happy. Obviously, this is different for every child, but that type o safety net really could help your child achieve a smooth transition to the new school.

That’s the list. I hope it works for you and your child finds the school that is right for them!

Cheers,
David

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