Pick a school for my kids (LONG)

[papie]

Obviously I won't listen to you, lol, but I've been asking everybody I know and it just occured to me that I forgot to ask you guys. We need to decude before january (for next fall).

We are in a great area, and we are definitely going the public school way. We are planning on doing private after elementary school (grades 7 and up).

There are two public school systems here. French and English. Everyone has to go to french. EXCEPT people who's parents or grandparents went to an english school in Canada. NOBODY ELSE IS ALLOWED. Are you following me? I went to french (I was not allowed to go to english). DH went to english. Which means that if our kids go to french, then their kids must go to english or the next generation will lose the right to english school. (WE HAVE ISSUES IN OUR PROVINCE, OK?). The other thing to keep in mind is that the english schools are dying. Because of the law, and lots of parents chosing french, tons of schools have been closing.

Anna is perfectly bilingual, but sometimes struggles with some verbs and with masculin/feminin words in french (le table/la table if you know some french).

So here are our choices:
1. French school.
20 minute walk, quick drive. Close to out daycare, so some of her friends will go there (especially the french kids). Great school. Pretty much NO english, except maybe an hour a week of learning "yes, no, toaster".

2. English 50-50 school.
Literally one block from our house. I can see the school from my driveway. Mornings in english, afternoons in french. Not as good a reputation, we hear that lots of stronger students are sent to the 80-20 (see option #3) and therefore the level is not as high in the 50-50 schools. Smaller school, more directly in our neighborhood, should have friends really close by. I don't think any f her daycare friends will go, because most of her english friends don't live in our neighborhood.

3. English 80-20 school.
In a different neighborhood, would have to drive or take the bus. 80% of the teaching is in french, 20% in english. The idea is that those kids already speak english at home (as we do), so they immerse them in french to ensure they develop a good grasp of the language, and they still learn english grammar and all that.


More info: we speak english mostly at home. Sometimes I speak greek or french with the girls, but more english, as I speak english with DH. Yes, Quebec is a french province, but in reality, you can't have a good career in Montreal if you are not strong in BOTH languages.

My bias is the 50-50, for convenience, and I was always bitter that I didn't go to the neighborhood school and didn't have many friends in the neighborhood. DH's bias is french, because he thinks the 50-50 is crappy french, and it was the case in the 80s when he went, but everyone says it has changed dramatically since then. Oh and Anna wants to go to the 50-50 one, she is extatic at the idea that there is a school where the teachers speak english (she goes to french daycare).

Phew, sorry so long, lol. I am so stressed about this. I plan on touring all those schools this fall. And keep asking everybody I meet every day what they think. And hopefully I don't screw up my kids.

[Deleted]

I would totally do the 50-50. I think it will give her the solid English background you're looking for as it pertains to future job opportunities.

I think if you do the French school, she's likely to speak English just fine but her writing skills won't be as strong.

[eb777888]

50-50 makes the most sense to me.

[sprky79]

50-50. She seems to have enough exposure to French through the daycare, and you and your husband could always beef up the French speaking at home.

[anlo]

It's a toss-up between 2 and 3 imo. I would rule out 1 because: there is not enough English to learn proper grammar, writing, etc.; your child doesn't seem to want to attend a school where only French is spoken. I take her opinion into consideration only because you want her to enjoy school and do well, and if some English at school helps this and you have the option, go for it.

I tend to lean toward 2. Convenience is a big factor for me.

[nadasteph]

La belle province is a bit messed up, non?
Honestly, I never even gave a second thought to the fact that our catholic school system in AB is government funded until I read a thread on here about private catholic schools in the US. Derrrr. We are having a similar debate and the answer will decide where we move to.

I would go with the 50-50, especially if you know you are putting them in private for 7 on.

[cleo29]

I think the 50-50 sounds like a good option.

This choosing schools thing is tough. So much pressure!

[wedbliss5]

The difference in reputation between 2 and 3 - what does that involve? Basically, is it weaker in areas that you feel will hinder your kids? If that doesn't matter, then I say go with conveniece and what your daughter wants.

[papie]

I'm getting mixed info about the school. Some people say it is great, others say it is just ok. I will ask lots of questions when I tour, if I can. But yes, I feel that the difference can't be that big, and with going to a good private school afterwards, it will be good.

[papie]

Aug 30, 2012 10:43:01 GMT -5 Que? said:

Aug 30, 2012 10:39:38 GMT -5 papie said:

I'm getting mixed info about the school. Some people say it is great, others say it is just ok. I will ask lots of questions when I tour, if I can. But yes, I feel that the difference can't be that big, and with going to a good private school afterwards, it will be good.

Are the dissenters French or English? I feel like that is key.

Both. One is french, and the others are my ILs. Who claimed that the elementary school where all three of their kids went (who merged with this one recently) was really bad and that their kids had trouble in HS (here 7-11) as a result. Which is funny because DH remembers his sisters always being the best in their classes, and he is an accountant and they are an engineer and a surgeon. So not exactly school failures, lol.

[sonrisa]

Aug 30, 2012 10:47:08 GMT -5 papie said:

Aug 30, 2012 10:43:01 GMT -5 Que? said:

Are the dissenters French or English? I feel like that is key.

Both. One is french, and the others are my ILs. Who claimed that the elementary school where all three of their kids went (who merged with this one recently) was really bad and that their kids had trouble in HS (here 7-11) as a result. Which is funny because DH remembers his sisters always being the best in their classes, and he is an accountant and they are an engineer and a surgeon. So not exactly school failures, lol.

Your in laws retrospectively dislike the school your husband attended two decades or more ago, which doesn't exist anymore, but merged with this one? That wouldn't sway me - too much time has passed, the teachers have changed, blah, blah, blah. Can you talk to people whose kids are currently attending the 50-50? What do they think?

(I'm amused that 20% English is considered too awful and corrupting for anyone who wasn't grandfathered in. Quebec is funny.)

[iamgrace]

50-50 sounds like your best option.

[alzi]

I would choose 50/50 for all of the previously mentioned reasons.

[janegold]

I would do 50-50 because I think that sounds like a good mix and because it is so convenient.

As for your concern over the quality of the education, since you are planning to transfer to private after elementary school, I wouldn't stress too much.

[bab]

Which one are you leaning toward papie? What is your gut instinct?

[papie]

bab, towards the bottom of my longass explanation, I said I'm leaning toward 50-50. I still struggle with written english, and would even more if it weren't from writing to you guys every day for 7 years, lol. DH has the opposite problem though, so he is leaning towards french.

and yes, lol, gotta love Quebec! Now the PQ, who will likely win the current elections, wants to stretch the law to CEGEPs. Which is a kind of in-between high school and university, 2 years general pre-university or 3 years technical for those who doN't want to go to university. Because doing 2 years of studying in english from ages 18 to 20 will definitely corrupt the french language, lol

[bab]

Aug 30, 2012 11:29:36 GMT -5 papie said:

bab, towards the bottom of my longass explanation, I said I'm leaning toward 50-50. I still struggle with written english, and would even more if it weren't from writing to you guys every day for 7 years, lol. DH has the opposite problem though, so he is leaning towards french.

and yes, lol, gotta love Quebec! Now the PQ, who will likely win the current elections, wants to stretch the law to CEGEPs. Which is a kind of in-between high school and university, 2 years general pre-university or 3 years technical for those who doN't want to go to university. Because doing 2 years of studying in english from ages 18 to 20 will definitely corrupt the french language, lol

LOL
oops!

See, this is proof that I'm not lying when I say I'm lazy!!!

Go with the 50-50. It really sounds like the best choice

[PinkSquirrel]

I would go with the 50-50