Schools in Edmonton?
 

Can anyone recommend a good elementary & junior school in Edmonton? Heading there in the summer, kids hopefully starting school in September. 2 children aged 10 and 9 so looking for a nice family neighbourhood and schools fairly close by. We'll be looking at the South West side - maybe Terwillegar or Ellerslie area - not sure yet. Any recommendations?

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

I can't recommend one specifically in that area, because I don't live down that way but, they do use specific catchment areas here, so it will depend on where you actually end up living. They assign schools to addresses, and if you want to go to a school outside of your area, you have to wait until all the children in that schools area have been given a place, then you go on a waiting list.

The school board website has a tool for finding schools based on addresses, www.epsb.ca you can also get some information about the schools on the site.

You can look up all the schools in your ward - so for Terwillegar I think you would be in ward H - http://www.epsb.ca/schools/wards.shtml and for Ellerslie you would possibly in ward I.

You can then google all the schools in those wards and find information on them. A good realtor for the area will probably be tuned in to which schools have the best reputations.

I have a friend who lives down in that direction so I will mail her and see if she has heard anything.

Happy school hunting! :D

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Thanks for the info. I'll check those sites out.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

I wouldn't suggest moving to the Ellerslie Road area. There's a lot of new (and very ugly) housing there and only one school. Frankly, it's bleak, dreary area right on the outskirts of the city without much for kids to do. Also, traffic can be heavy expecially if you're trying to go north via Calgary trail which has just started undergoing a three year construction project at 23rd. Avenue. Terwillegar is a nice area but pricey. Windsor Park Elementary School near the University of Alberta was a good choice for our daughter and Grandview Junior High was also good. Looking down the road, Old Scona Academic High is a great senior high school. Hope this helps.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

We will be relocating at the end of the year by Gods grace, I like the town Edmonton than Calgary (from what I have read) though my OH is looking for a job in Calgary. can one work in Calgary and live in Edmonton?

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

You can do a lot of things but a two and a half hour commute each end of the day will wear you down eventually. When the winter comes you can make that 3 hours minimum and with all the attendent worry of making it home.....

Calgary has a little warmer climate if that is important...;)

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Which other town is near calgary for commuting purpose

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Depends how you define town but Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks would be options

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

lets call them neighborhoods, how far are they from calgary

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Okotoks would be the farthest away at 50kms. It would be under an hour to downtown if it's not snowing.....:sneaky:

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Thanks for the info. My brother lives in the Ellerslie area, so I was hoping to be, sort of, in the neighbourhood. But, saying that, schools are more important, so maybe we should look elsewhere and drive a little further to my brother's house! We want a nice child friendly neighbourhood (kids are 10 and 9) with schools and facilities fairly close by. My husband will be working on 170th Street, that's why we were looking SW area. I also hope to work when we're more settled.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Thanks for the info. Its difficult to understand some stuff until one really gets to canada. will be in Alberta say Dec and will rent for a couple of months atleast to get to know the good schools around then we buy in that area. When is the best time/month to arrive canada in terms of placement in schools for the kids

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Hi Depending on where on 170th job is have you considered St Albert, property is a little more pricey but communities and schools good. We have been here just over a year and started our daughter (7) at her new school in Feb 07 and she had no problems settling in.
Good luck

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Elli and Paul

Thanks. I'll start researching that area. We're definitely concerned about the kids settling, so I'm open to suggestions! I'll google it today. We'll be arriving in the summer, so we'll have time to check stuff out before the winter sets in! I think you replied to someone elses (kaniyang) reply! Are there plenty of things to do for the kids too - out of school? My son enjoys footie, so he'd probably want to join a 'soccer team'.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

I wouldn't know about fotie cos I have 2 daughters. Anyway summer is by the corner once you are in Canada I guess info will be easily assessable

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Hi there, where would you like to be heading? I see that you're talking about Alberta, but is it Calgary that you're thinking of more than anywhere? Do you have work? How old are the kids? I'm nosey!! Sorry!

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

We have found lots for the children, our daughter is 7 and son 5 both swim once a week. My son does footie (soccer) twice a week and beavers once a week, my daughter is in brownies both have learnt to skate and ski so yes we have found lots to do.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Hi we have just moved to Edmonton and used this http://www.fraserinstitute.org/ to help us decide before we left the UK. its an excellent resource for grading the schools on subjects etc, in fact i was hoping the admin staff would mind adding it to the wiki in a more prominent position?
good luck

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Thanks everyone - keep the info coming though!! We need as much as possible. I've had a quick look at where St.Albert is, and that looks great, but a bit further north than we would like really. I'd like to be somewhere between 170 St and Ellerslie! Good school and neighbour being the major focus. I've had a look at the fraserinstitute, but didn't recognise the schools, so I'll have to research school names from areas we like first and look for those specifically!

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

The kids can't wait to go ice skating and real snow skiing. We've been to a couple lessons on dry slopes to give them confidence, but it's not the same. My kids enjoy swimming, both a good swimmers and don't need lessons anymore, but love the water, so no doubt we'll be visiting a swimming pool on a weekly basis. My daughter loves the look of the water park in the mall! She's told my husband that he's not allowed to go there until she arrives! It's great hearing from everyone and getting insider info!

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Alberta cos OH is in the oil and gas and we have 2 daughters 5 & 2 yrs old.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Riverbend is a nice neighbourhood within an easy drive of 170 st and I have a friend who lives down there and she always seems to have stuff to do with her kids. http://www.riverbendonline.ca/index.php

I live further to the west, Patricia Heights, we are just one exit on the whitemud away from 170 st and the Elementary school here is great.

This whole little area, Patricia Heights, Rio Terrace, Quesnell heights is very nice, but it's an older area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrici...rrace_Quesnell

If you want newer housing Terwillegar, or somewhere like the Lewis Estates - very close to 170 and nice little area. http://www.melcor.ca/community/edmonton/lewis_estates/

Laurier Heights is gorgeous, but very pricey, only two exits from 170 st. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurier_Heights

There are quite a few new developments to the south west that will be a really easy drive from 170st, but I don't know which schools they will be zoned for, are you coming over for a recce trip?

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

we are coming over for good. we landed in Dec 2005 and left after picking our PR cards cos OH has a good job in the oil and gas industry but we are hoping he will get something in Alberta soon.

Re: Schools in Edmonton?
 

Great info - cheers. I'll have a look at those now. We came over last Feb but we didn't have much time to check stuff out, so we decided to just sort it all out when we get there in the summer. Hopefully, giving us time to check out the areas that we like from the web and get the kids in school. I've been asking my brother to check some places out too. He's got a mate who lives in the Riverbend area and says it nice there too. We need 4 bedrooms and a double garage with plenty of living space as my mum will be coming over to stay for periods of time. I quite like the newer houses. We checked out some show homes last year - how lovely! I could've moved straight in!