Return to Canada Diary Part 3: How to Arrange Children's Schools?

The order of the school and the house is interchangeable. For example, if you have identified a school, look for a house near the school. This really saves time on daily pick-up and drop-off. However, there may not be new houses near the school, and second-hand houses need to be viewed one by one after they have landed, because once a second-hand house comes, you need to personally feel whether the style matches your personal taste requirements. execute.

My department is Zuowu and then the school. For details, please see the second part of the diary .

The first step I have to decide is which kind of school the child should go to. In my early research, I actually considered all three types of schools (public, private, and independent), mainly depending on the school's rating. And near our home, I also want the school to match our family's religious background, so Google found a few Christian schools, and church schools are usually private.

Then go to the Fraser Institute website to see the rankings of schools in the Surrey area. And follow the Page of your favorite school on Facebook to observe the school's daily activities and whether the students are happy. And of course take a look at Twitter and even Reddit for other feedback about the school. Reddit also has discussion boards for relevant cities or regions, where you can see what locals say about urban development and safety.

Also, if you have the habit of using a VPN, before Google, connect to a server in Canada (preferably BC), and then visit google.ca, so that the search content will have more local information. If Google sees that you are in Hong Kong and visit with google.com.hk, a lot of local Canadian information will not show up in the search results.

If you choose a private school, you can check when the registration deadline is on the school website. For example, if the admission is in September 2022, it is likely that the deadline will be December 2021. (Hurry up!)

After registering, you will usually receive an email. Someone from the school will contact you. You can also log in to the school or their designated third-party website to enter student and family information, as well as upload various required documents, such as children's score sheets, passports, etc.

Some independent schools will also require you to arrange for the SSAT to assess your child's English and math proficiency. The school will give you instructions on how to register for the SSAT. Follow the time to request registration and buy books to prepare for the exam. Many overseas cities have exam rooms.

If the child is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, he or she can apply as an international student. Generally, private schools will appoint a commissioner as the student's guardian, and provide visa application and post-arrival medical insurance application. Parents can contact the commissioner by email if they have any questions, and they will usually explain it dutifully.

The school will also arrange Zoom parent briefing sessions, followed by Zoom interviews with families. We were fortunate enough to be told by the interviewer before the interview was over that the degree was basically confirmed. However, you will usually be notified by email for confirmation.

Then comes the payment. Some schools accept credit cards, but others require e-Interac, a local electronic transfer system. In the next issue, I will share with you the experience of opening an offshore account and I will mention it.