Canadian School System

[Buttons 0]

Just getting ready to enroll my daughter in school in the USA. I've known for awhile that a Catholic education is considered private but it get's my goat that you must pay to receive this education. I don' think Jesus asked to be paid for his preachings.

The good thing about Canada is that this is still a school system that is covered under tax payor dollars. I am very greatful that I received this education from JK straight through till grade 12. It was a luxury that I have come to realize I took for granted.

No real point to this post but to vent my fustration.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Buttons, I had a Catholic education in the States (grade 1-8) and it was superior. So superior, many Jewish families wanted their kids enrolled. In Ontario, I was a student teacher (Catholic) and was appalled by the low standards. Being a government-designed curriculum, there was too much emphasis on multiculturalism and not enough on the 3Rs.

If you've enrolled your child in a Catholic school in the States, you're giving her an invaluable gift. She'll be well prepared for college, which now is the doorway to a decent job.

There's a strict division of Church and State in the U.S., which is why Catholic schools are private. In Canada, Catholic schools have been funded, by law, since the 1800s. But that could change, since it's now seen as discriminatory toward other religious schools.

Edited August 2, 2006 by Jersey Girl

[Buttons 0]

I thought the Canadian school system was a better system. I will find out soon enough !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[iceyspots 0]

are they going to do placement tests?

[Cristy 4]

I just registered my kids today. They were in Catholic school in Canada, but now they will just be in regular school. I am slightly put off ...ok very put off by the apparent gang related issues at schools here. It is unnerving, they can't carry back packs or have pockets on their pants over a certain size....etc. It really freaks me out. If I could afford a better school I would do it in a minute.

[Buttons 0]

My mother in law is a teacher at the school my daughter will attend so she placed her in the grade. However in Canada she was in JK and then K in the US there is no JK so I am hopingshe will be alittle more advanced. She also went fullday everyday since JK. So that is two full years of full time education. While here it is half day for Kindergarden and no Junior kindergarden.

[Robin28 2]

I'm totally freaked out about public school in the US .. We ( me and my kids ) live @ a large ski resort and my children go to a school with 2 teachers for each classroom ( or a teacher and an helper ) with classes avg. 15 students per class ( we are a bit spoiled ) I have to wonder how the school when we move will compare with about 10x more students enrolled. I'm thankful my parents have offered to help with private school if things don't go well @ public school. There is always places like Sylvan Learning for extra help if private school is too tooo expensive .. It's just one thing after the next after the next .. The price of love

[Reba 2]

Home Schooling. Its not just for religious fanatics anymore!

says Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[CutienPurg 0]

Do any of these school districts off an education voucher?

"An education voucher, commonly called a school voucher, is a certificate by which parents are given the ability to pay for the education of their children at a school of their choice, rather than the public school to which they were assigned."

Call the school board office and inquire.

.......and homeschooling, as Reba said, isnt just for the fanatics anymore. Many parents are choosing this path in an attempt to take their children from the public system and provide a more individual -based education for their children ...among the many reasons.

I homeschooled my children for a year while we were living on and off between Canada and the US. The particular school district where we lived refused to educate my children because, " we were not Canadian", without a $22,000.00 up front fee. They required that we apply for Canadian residency which I was not willing to do as we were not going to be permanent residents. I felt that applying would jeopordize our ability to cross between the US and Canada during that year. So, with no way around the rules we opted for the homeschooling path. I found several sites online that offer a curriculum you can purchase, complete with books, worksheets, and tests. A few even offered diploma programs in which they, after the child was tested , would issue a real diploma. We were fortunate that the school district in which we live in the US offered us the shool text books to use for the year so we did not require a purchased curriculum. I found homeschooling much easier than I expected. We actually covered all the subjects fully and went back for another time over that year. My children returned to public school last year and all made A's and B's for the entire year . That sure aleviated my fears that they had missed something along the way. One of children was a 9th grader at the time of homeschooling and when she returned to public high school I simply provided her with a transcript for the year, using a form I also found online. According to the state , it is at the discretion of the school's principal to accept homeschooling credits or not. Our principal did accept her credits toward the requirement for graduation. If your child will not return to mainstream public or private school and the concern is their abilty to attend colleg with homeschooling credits , I have read more and more about the number of post secondary schools accepting homeschooling credits as homeschooled children are scoring higher on their ACT's. Again, not all colleges and universities are on board with this but as more and more parents are opting for a homeschooled education , it seems that may change.

So in conclusion , there are many options out there other than the below standard some public schools offer. I talked to a lot of people , I asked a lot of questions and didnt take no as a first answer.

Good Luck to you all