jerryhung

Hi

We just has a LO - and live in the Tri-Cities area.
I would like to know if I have to enrol him in school already. i.e. is it competitive in Canada?

How do I find out which schools he can attend, and if I want him to go to a French immersion, how would I go about doing this?

Any tips and pointers would be gratefully accepted.

J.

Aviator

No idea what a 'LO' is?

Students catchment area is determined by where they live, the address at the time they are eligible to attend school. The local school board should be able to advise. Re FE, also talk to the school board, they can tell you if there are spaces, unless you want private schooling, then go straight to the school.

jerryhung

Thanks Aviator.

It equals LO = Baby.

I see, so I contact the School Board, I presume a Tri-Cities one.

Thanks for the tips.

jerryhung

Looks like there are 2 schools - where can we find information on which ones are "better"?

Also. So catchment is based on principle residence only, is this correct?

Aviator

I can see the connection.

You can register them in the year they are eligible to attend school. For kindergarten it would be age 5.

Aviator

It is, but if your child is a baby, you are way ahead of yourself.

BristolUK

I had to look it up to discover Little One.
I also found ebf = exclusively breastfed

Other than a twin and mum who else would be involved?

Aviator

Different flavours?

Yorkiechef

Eff me, parents already queueing to get little jolo in French school...enjoy the experience of your new baby, the crappy stuff comes later.

scilly

Parents here do NOT enrol their children in school at birth.

It isn't like the UK.

Education is basically the same no matter which public school (ie, state school) serves the area where you live. All schools in BC teach to the BC Government syllabus.

It really makes no difference as to which of the two schools is the better .......... someone else may think the other school is better. It really is that subjective!

Is it worth selling your home to move into the catchment area of the one you MIGHT think is better.


Dates of enrolment for kindy, and French immersion will be published in the local newspaper earlier in the year ........ parents have been known to line up to get their kids into FE, purely because there are usually fewer spaces available. But you might want to think VERY carefully whether FE is suitable for your child.


Pre-kindy is the year in which a child reaches 4 by Dec 31

Kindy is the year in which a child reaches 5 by Dec 31

Grade 1 is the year in which a child reaches 6 by Dec 31


Nor do you have to enrol a child early in private school .......... most private schools interview the children whose parents want them to attend the school in the spring term before they start in September. They want to know that the child has reached the educational level necessary for whichever grade they are intended to enter. It may be as simple is the child socialized, and able to get one with their peer group

You might consider finding out information about private schools in your area when the child is one or two years from starting school ........ but they are generally VERY expensive.

Again, is it worth it for your child, or children? A private school is not for every child. My child was at a private school for all 12 years, and thrived on it. Not all children did, many who started in Grade 1 at the same time had left by Grade 6

I also do not know of any private school in BC that takes boarders from very young.


Don't worry your head about schooling until the child is entering his/her 4th year, then watch the local paper to find dates for registering in pre-kindy ............ or phone the school board in the January or February of that year.


Meantime, enjoy your time with the little one

jerryhung

Thanks very much scilly and Aviator - that's helpful. I just wasn't sure that's all.