Common answers to parents’ questions
Financial aid, admissions and single-sex schools tend to be top of mind
When it comes to choosing a school that is going to nurture and teach your child, there simply are no bad questions.
From concerns about student fitness to queries about finances, parents and kids want to know just what they’re getting. Read on for answers to some of the most common inquiries.
1. Is it worth it?
“We hear that all the time,” says Dave Shaw, director of enrolment and financial aid at Crescent School (Grades 3 to 12) in Toronto. “I don’t know how you make that assessment for someone. For sure the child will benefit, but the parent is the one paying the cost.”
Still, if your goal is to get your child into the university and program of theirt choice, many independent schools have stellar records.
At Holy Name of Mary College in Mississauga, “100 per cent of our girls get into the school and program of their choice,” says head of school Marilena Tesoro.
And that’s no accident, she says, “every one of our girls sits down with a university placement adviser to come up with a personalized plan.
“You can’t just wait until Grade 12.”
In addition, independent schools include a lot of extras you’d normally pay for, including tutoring, counselling and a wide array of extra-curricular activities.
At Crescent School “every one of the teachers are going to be there providing extra help and organizing extra-curricular activities,” says Shaw.
“It’s one-stop shopping for all the activities your child might want to be involved in. And you don’t have to drive them around.”
2. Is financial aid available?
Frequently the answer to this question is a resounding “yes.” A survey conducted by Canadian Accredited Independent Schools for the 201516 school year found that almost 7,000 students received financial aid from a pool of $70.2 million.
Crescent School alone will hand out more than $1.2 million in tuition assistance next September to about 40 boys in Grades 7 and up. And, as with many independent schools, the admissions committee chooses applicants without knowing whether they’ve also applied for financial assistance.
“By and large, I would say cost should not be a barrier to entry,” Shaw adds. “You may not get exactly what you want, but it’s enough that you can make it work.”
3. How does your admission committee make its decision about who gets in?
Every independent school looks for certain qualities in the students it admits. And it’s important to know whether that is a good fit with your child.
For example, Blyth Academy, a private school with 12 campuses in Canada, prides itself on its small class sizes (fewer than 14 students) and ability to help students of all kinds, whether they have learning disabilities or mental-health issues requiring a more empathetic environment.
Says Michael Booth, principal of the Blyth Academy’s Yorkville campus: “Well over 95 per cent of our students go to the university of their choice.”
In contrast, Havergal College has a strong academic focus so “we must ensure that the students selected can be successful in our rigorous liberal arts program,” says Maggie HoustonWhite, executive director of enrolment management for the all-girls school (kindergarten to Grade 12).
Prospective students write admission exams because “each grade has specific entrance requirements that are age and stage appropriate.
Academic achievement is just the beginning.
“We’re seeking students who will make the most of their education and who can give back,” Houston-White says. 4. How will a single-sex school prepare my child for a co-ed world?
At boys-only Crescent School, moms in particular often ask how boys will learn to be around girls if they’re not exposed to them.
“Boys are just developmentally different than girls,” says Shaw. “Boys tend to be more physical. And a 6-year-old girl’s language ability and her ability to focus and concentrate on school is about comparable to an 8-year-old boy’s. In an allboy classroom, everyone is at about the same level.”
Teachers at Crescent School, he says, also tend to “really enjoy teaching boys,” and they develop teaching techniques aimed at keeping them engaged and interested, incorporating regular activity throughout the day. What’s more, because “no activity can be labelled a ‘girl thing,’ ” says Shaw, boys feel free to get involved in drama, music and student council.
Proponents of all-girls schools say they encourage girls to be confident and participate more fully in classroom life. Girls tend to “hold back” when boys are in the room, particularly in the adolescent years, says Tesoro. Single-sex learning environments, she contends, can break down barriers for young women and encourage them to take on leadership roles.
The girls also tend to explore non-traditional subjects such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and business more fully, says Tesoro. 78 per cent of Holy Name’s 2018 grads went into STEM programs.