Vancouver area families definitely value education. It was clear at the 2009 Vancouver Private School Expo presented by HSBC Premier this past Sunday, November 15, 2009, where hundreds of families came out to meet with 25 leading day and boarding private and independent schools. Designed for parents with children aged 0-18 years, the Expo offers an opportunity to learn about the preschool to high-school independent education system in British Columbia and provides advice on helping families find the best school for their child(ren).
We were thrilled with the attendance. Families came from around the Greater Vancouver Area including Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and Maple Ridge to speak with the exhibiting schools and sit in on the free information sessions.
Brenda Chow, Assistant Vice President — Premier Sales Leader at HSBC Premier, spoke about the essentials families must consider when budgeting for their child’s education. Brenda helped families understand their financial picture and what they can do to prepare for the independent school investment.
Robin Hinnell, executive director of the Independent Schools Association of BC gave an information-packed seminar, providing parents with the top questions they should ask schools during their search process. “What relationship do the teachers have with students and parents?” and “What is the principal’s philosophy on education?” are examples from the list. For those that were unable to attend, a list of questions to ask schools is available here.
As the managing editor at Our Kids, it was great to speak with so many parents and help them in their private school search. Throughout the day, we also heard lots of questions, and will be posting answers to many of these in our community section. Some of the top questions included:
- Are single sex schools better than coeducational schools for girls?
- I am interested the pros and cons in AP and IB programs.
- How can a middle class family afford to send their children to private school when fees are so expensive nowadays?
- Are there certain private schools that lend themselves to alternative styles of learning?
- How do you compare schools, assess them to see if they are a good fit for the individual child? How is it a better alternative to public school?
For parents who missed the expos or any of the information seminars, you can visit our website to learn about choosing the right school, the benefits of boarding school or financing private education on our website. Our Kids is already planning the expos for 2010 in Montreal, Oakville, Toronto and Vancouver and parents can stay informed about these events by signing up to our newsletter.
Thanks to everyone that came out and supported the 2009 Our Kids Private School Expo presented by HSBC Premier.
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