本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Open houses held by many institutions only the first step in the search
CAROLINE ALPHONSO - EDUCATION REPORTER
Saturday, November 6, 2004
She's been in Grade 7 for only a couple of months, but Meghan Simao already is high-school shopping.
"I want to be sure exactly which high school I'm going to be going to," the 11-year-old said as she left an open house at Toronto's Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts on Wednesday night, her parents in tow.
At one time, you just went to your local high school. Not any more. In a highly competitive school environment, parents are on the lookout for the right fit to give their children an edge.
Open houses for students entering Grade 9 next fall began in earnest this week and will continue fast and furious all month and into December and January.
"A wise parent would attempt a strategy that closes the fewest number of doors in the face of their child.
"That's a fact of life," said Angelo Bolotta, principal at Cardinal Carter Academy.
The Catholic school in north Toronto attracted 1,000 people to its open house this week, a number that would make other schools facing declining enrolment envious, but is not surprising, given the school's strong focus on the arts.
The 700 seats in the auditorium were filled for a performance by the school's students, with many parents and young people standing along the walls and the remainder watching by television in the lobby.
Some people had come from as far as Scarborough and Ajax.
Meghan has other schools on her list to visit. But her father, Humberto Simao, was sold.
"I know what my daughter is all about and I know what she loves to do," he said. "This seems like a good fit."
To be accepted, a student has to fill out an application form, then audition. Already bursting at the seams, the school can accept only as many students as it loses through graduation and attrition. Last year, more than 500 students auditioned, and the school accepted 130 into its Grade 7 and 9 classes.
Principals cautioned that a packed open house does not necessarily mean the school will get the same number of applications. Parents and students are well aware of their many options, and as enrolment declines because of a drop in the birth rate, schools need to market themselves, the principals said.
Some public schools can accept only students in their catchment areas. Others can take students from outside their areas if they have extra spaces. And specialty schools such as Cardinal Carter can take just about anybody.
Ashley Waltman, principal of North Toronto Collegiate Institute, said his school usually has a lottery system if it has more applications than spaces for students outside its catchment area.
The school's open house will be in January.
With its strong provincial literacy test scores and an extracurricular program, the school attracted about 1,000 people to its open house last year.
"These are big decisions, you know," Mr. Waltman said. "You want the parents to be involved in these decisions. Parents are shopping around, as well they should be."
Tony Masciello, co-ordinator at the international baccalaureate program at Vaughan Road Academy, said the pressure is not only about receiving good grades in high school to get into top universities. Many parents are concerned about picking the appropriate high school for their children, he said.
Some parents who attended the open house for the international baccalaureate program Thursday night wanted to know whether they could register their young children for entrance in Grade 9. They cannot, he said.
The regular program at Vaughan Road Academy has its open house this month.
Mr. Masciello said that almost 200 people attended the open house for the international baccalaureate program.
The program, traditionally offered in private schools, requires students to submit application forms, letters of recommendation, report cards from Grade 7 and 8, and essays. There are interviews as well.
"You're basically trying to reach out to public-school students who may take advantage of the information," Mr. Masciello said of the open house.
"It's a competitive environment. People want to make sure that their kids are well equipped to handle the challenges of the 21st century."
(Tuesday, November 8, 2004, on Page A2)
CORRECTION
Vaughan Road Academy will hold its open house on Nov. 29 for all programs. Incorrect information appeared in a Nov. 6 article.
-- EDUCATION REPORTER
© The Globe and Mail. Republished with permission. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or republished or redistributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
CAROLINE ALPHONSO - EDUCATION REPORTER
Saturday, November 6, 2004
She's been in Grade 7 for only a couple of months, but Meghan Simao already is high-school shopping.
"I want to be sure exactly which high school I'm going to be going to," the 11-year-old said as she left an open house at Toronto's Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts on Wednesday night, her parents in tow.
At one time, you just went to your local high school. Not any more. In a highly competitive school environment, parents are on the lookout for the right fit to give their children an edge.
Open houses for students entering Grade 9 next fall began in earnest this week and will continue fast and furious all month and into December and January.
"A wise parent would attempt a strategy that closes the fewest number of doors in the face of their child.
"That's a fact of life," said Angelo Bolotta, principal at Cardinal Carter Academy.
The Catholic school in north Toronto attracted 1,000 people to its open house this week, a number that would make other schools facing declining enrolment envious, but is not surprising, given the school's strong focus on the arts.
The 700 seats in the auditorium were filled for a performance by the school's students, with many parents and young people standing along the walls and the remainder watching by television in the lobby.
Some people had come from as far as Scarborough and Ajax.
Meghan has other schools on her list to visit. But her father, Humberto Simao, was sold.
"I know what my daughter is all about and I know what she loves to do," he said. "This seems like a good fit."
To be accepted, a student has to fill out an application form, then audition. Already bursting at the seams, the school can accept only as many students as it loses through graduation and attrition. Last year, more than 500 students auditioned, and the school accepted 130 into its Grade 7 and 9 classes.
Principals cautioned that a packed open house does not necessarily mean the school will get the same number of applications. Parents and students are well aware of their many options, and as enrolment declines because of a drop in the birth rate, schools need to market themselves, the principals said.
Some public schools can accept only students in their catchment areas. Others can take students from outside their areas if they have extra spaces. And specialty schools such as Cardinal Carter can take just about anybody.
Ashley Waltman, principal of North Toronto Collegiate Institute, said his school usually has a lottery system if it has more applications than spaces for students outside its catchment area.
The school's open house will be in January.
With its strong provincial literacy test scores and an extracurricular program, the school attracted about 1,000 people to its open house last year.
"These are big decisions, you know," Mr. Waltman said. "You want the parents to be involved in these decisions. Parents are shopping around, as well they should be."
Tony Masciello, co-ordinator at the international baccalaureate program at Vaughan Road Academy, said the pressure is not only about receiving good grades in high school to get into top universities. Many parents are concerned about picking the appropriate high school for their children, he said.
Some parents who attended the open house for the international baccalaureate program Thursday night wanted to know whether they could register their young children for entrance in Grade 9. They cannot, he said.
The regular program at Vaughan Road Academy has its open house this month.
Mr. Masciello said that almost 200 people attended the open house for the international baccalaureate program.
The program, traditionally offered in private schools, requires students to submit application forms, letters of recommendation, report cards from Grade 7 and 8, and essays. There are interviews as well.
"You're basically trying to reach out to public-school students who may take advantage of the information," Mr. Masciello said of the open house.
"It's a competitive environment. People want to make sure that their kids are well equipped to handle the challenges of the 21st century."
(Tuesday, November 8, 2004, on Page A2)
CORRECTION
Vaughan Road Academy will hold its open house on Nov. 29 for all programs. Incorrect information appeared in a Nov. 6 article.
-- EDUCATION REPORTER
© The Globe and Mail. Republished with permission. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or republished or redistributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net