As we count down the days to back to school in British Columbia it is important to recognize that we truly do have a leading education system that allows families to make choices that are best for their child's individual needs.
Did you know that there are a vast range of school types available in BC?
There are a range of choices
available for students today, including community, traditional or
alternative schools, aboriginal education programs, French immersion,
special needs, full-day Kindergarten, pre-school, distributed learning,
fine arts, dance, sports or trades.
Check out this cool school search tool.
Even better, school boundaries are open so students can attend any school
in the province, provided there is space. This truly is a good thing – it gives families much freedom.
So what about if a full time school setting is not for your child? In BC we also have the choice to have children participate in either distributed learning or homeschooling opportunities. There are some really amazing distributed learning programs in BC – both public and independent. If you want more input into your child's educational experience then for sure you should consider this option. It is like homeschooling; but with enhanced support from trained educators.
Perhaps you feel that the public system is not what you want for your child. If this is the case, then you should consider one of the many amazing independent programs that are offered across the Province. Parents pay tuition for these programs; but in many cases it is very affordable due to the fact that many independent schools also receive funding from the BC government.
Despite all of the challenges that we hear about our education system, the cutbacks that school districts face, declining enrollment and resource limitations it is really critical that we remind ourselves of this:
In BC we are faced with an amazing array of high quality educational choices and opportunities for our children. This does not exist in every Province in Canada. Let's remember that we are indeed fortunate.