Questions to Ask During Open Houses
Choosing your child's secondary school will be an opportunity to have great conversations with them... here are some wonderful discussion topics.
Choosing your child’s secondary school will be an opportunity to have great conversations with them... here are some wonderful discussion topics through this article.
We continue this series of articles on starting secondary school with the famous open house season. Why is it important to visit schools? As Allo Profs mentions, open houses allow parents and students to fully understand how a school works and to become familiar with the environment. It’s often by visiting and meeting people on site that a child will feel at ease, “at home,” or, on the contrary, feel like a passing visitor.
During open houses… food for thought
Done: you’ve selected several schools you plan to visit during open house days. Now, what questions should you ask to have all the information you need for your final choice? Here is a list that can provide some food for thought…
- What are the school’s values?
- How large is the school (number of students)?
- What is the regular daily schedule for students?
- What transportation services are offered?
- What are the tuition fees? Are family discounts available?
- What extracurricular activities are available?
- What student support services are offered?
- What are the sports and arts facilities?
- What does the regular cafeteria menu look like?
- Does the school offer digital tools?
- Does the school offer enrichment programs?
- What types of trips are organized?
- What makes this school unique (programs, activities, etc.)?
Checklist: my dream school
It’s perfectly natural: children often want to “follow” their friends to secondary school and end up at the same school. Nevertheless, it’s always good to broaden their horizons and get them to think about what they truly want to experience during their secondary years. The happier a child is in their environment, the more stimulated they’ll be in their studies: well-being and a stimulating environment have a direct impact on academic success.
After visiting a few schools (you can find an article here about pre-selecting schools ahead of open houses), discuss these topics with your child. You’ll help them form an opinion about the different secondary schools being considered. A great way to guide the family decision you’ll make together.
- Did the school team welcome me well during the open house?
- What is my overall feeling after visiting this school?
- How did I feel in the classrooms, specialized rooms, and common areas (the environment)?
- Do I want to sign up for the extracurricular activities offered?
- If I had poor grades or was going through a difficult situation with my friends, would I have support from the educators (teachers, special education technicians, supervisors)?
- Does the structure of a typical day suit me? (length, number of periods, lunch break and recesses, extracurricular activities)
- What specialists are on site who could help me? (sexologist, librarian, youth worker, etc.)
- Also, don’t hesitate to make a list of values that are important to your child in their future school. Here are some examples:
- Kindness
- Discipline
- Respect for oneself and others
- Open-mindedness
- Excellence (academic or athletic)
How does your child want to feel in their future school? A wonderful topic for reflection. If you have questions about this important step of the primary-to-secondary transition, don’t hesitate to write to us either by email or via Messenger.
