Relocating from India to Edmonton, CA (2010, unemployment rate, best schools)

[ramakaryam]

Hi
I may have an option of relocating to Edmonton if I get past an interview from a prospective employer. I would only move to Edmonton if I have the job offer in hand.
Considering this I have the following questions
1. My daughter is in class 3 in India. She was born in Feb 2002. Would she be eligible for class 4 if my family joins me in March 2010.
2. Is French mandatory in Edmonton schools? Both me and my wife do not have any knowledge of French and we think it will be difficult for us to train our daughter in French in such a case.
3. Is there a vast difference between PUblic schools and Private schools. Are private schools way unaffordable? How are catholic schools in contrast? We are not catholics though.

4. Have any of you heard about a company called Stantec. Is that a good company to work for?

Thank you
Rama

[bhdavis1978]

Originally Posted by ramakaryam

Hi
I may have an option of relocating to Edmonton if I get past an interview from a prospective employer. I would only move to Edmonton if I have the job offer in hand.

Considering this I have the following questions

1. My daughter is in class 3 in India. She was born in Feb 2002. Would she be eligible for class 4 if my family joins me in March 2010.

My guess is that they would probably do a placement test to see how well she'd do in the grade 4. I would call the Edmonton School board and ask them, but it probably won't be a big deal.

2. Is French mandatory in Edmonton schools? Both me and my wife do not have any knowledge of French and we think it will be difficult for us to train our daughter in French in such a case.

Yes, French is mandatory, in all schools across Canada, starting in the 4th grade (at least that's how it was when I was in elementary school), but unless she is enrolled in french immersion (and it would be too late to enroll her in French Immersion now, cause that starts in Grade 1), she will only have to speak French in French class, and no one else will have had any previous French training either, so she'll be on an equal footing. It'll all be good. My parents can't speak French, and couldn't help me, and I did just fine.

3. Is there a vast difference between PUblic schools and Private schools. Are private schools way unaffordable? How are catholic schools in contrast? We are not catholics though.

Private schools can be very expensive- but the public school system in Canada is generally good. They are funded by the province, not by the city that they are in, so they are well supplied. Teachers in Canada are well paid and very well trained.

4. Have any of you heard about a company called Stantec. Is that a good company to work for?

Sorry, can't help you there.

Good luck!

[jungeon]

"I may have an option of relocating to Edmonton if I get past an interview from a prospective employer. I would only move to Edmonton if I have the job offer in hand.
Considering this I have the following questions
1. My daughter is in class 3 in India. She was born in Feb 2002. Would she be eligible for class 4 if my family joins me in March 2010."

She should go into grade 4 based on age, but there is a chance she will be put back a few grades because india teaching standards are generally lower

"2. Is French mandatory in Edmonton schools? Both me and my wife do not have any knowledge of French and we think it will be difficult for us to train our daughter in French in such a case."
French is mandatory. Yes French will be hard for her but there will be no way around it.

"3. Is there a vast difference between PUblic schools and Private schools. Are private schools way unaffordable? How are catholic schools in contrast? We are not catholics though."
Catholic Schools cost money if you are not catholic=private tuition. Private schools are generally worse than public schools because they have no standard. That is 1 private school can hire a ph.d professor to teach kids whereas the other school hires a person who is not really qualified. Only public schools hire people who are completelty qualified. Public schools=best schools generally. Private schools often have many wealthy families who kids do not need education because there parents are rich so even if they have a bad education they will still get a good job.

4. Have any of you heard about a company called Stantec. Is that a good company to work for?
nope, the fact that they are hiring out of the country makes me highly suspecious, ie. they may want to exploit you or do something illegal. Unemployment in Canada is 10%. The law is they cannot hire foreign workers unless they can't find those workers domestically, I find this hard to believe because of the 10% unemployment rate, which means they just don't want to hire a domestic.
Thank you
Rama

[StarshipPoopers1]

Originally Posted by ramakaryam

2. Is French mandatory in Edmonton schools? Both me and my wife do not have any knowledge of French and we think it will be difficult for us to train our daughter in French in such a case.

French is a mandatory course starting in either grade 3 or 4. You don't need to be remotely familiar with the language though, as it is taught to children who have no understanding. I wouldn't worry, I took about 6 or 7 years of French courses and still have no grasp of the language, but passed with reasonable grades. In Edmonton you won't be hearing much French.

3. Is there a vast difference between PUblic schools and Private schools. Are private schools way unaffordable? How are catholic schools in contrast? We are not catholics though.

The public school system in Canada is fine. I know that a lot of Americans dislike their public school system and insist that their children receive private education, but I went to a public elementary and two secondary schools in Ontario and they were all fine and had no problems. The second secondary school that I went to was attached to a Catholic school, and the difference in the quality of education was minimal. Catholic schools force Catholic courses and services on the students that are mandatory and cannot be avoided, so if it is not your religion then it could be offensive or unnecessary. I have nothing against our public education system, so I would save your money and send them there.

Not sure about your other two questions, sorry.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ramakaryam

2. Is French mandatory in Edmonton schools? Both me and my wife do not have any knowledge of French and we think it will be difficult for us to train our daughter in French in such a case.

Every education system in the world has at least one second language that it teaches (or at least attempts to teach) to its pupils. In English-speaking parts of Canada, that happens to be French. All of the other subjects are taught in English.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ramakaryam

4. Have any of you heard about a company called Stantec. Is that a good company to work for?

Stantec is a fairly well-known consulting engineering firm to people active in that area. I wouldn't be too concerned about being exploited, etc.

[netwit]

The second language which was actually my second language,with English being my third, was standard or High German in rural Manitoba. There was no French option when I was growing up and everyone attending school, including Anglos had to take German.

Now, in rural Manitoba second language options include French but German is still an option.

I have no idea whether that exists in other areas in Canada, or whether that is the remnant remaining of the Mennonites' prior agreement with the Crown made before immigration. But I'd be curious to know if other non Anglo, non Francophone regions, high in a particular ethnicity, have other languages taught besides French.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by netwit

The second language which was actually my second language,with English being my third, was standard or High German in rural Manitoba. There was no French option when I was growing up and everyone attending school, including Anglos had to take German.

Now, in rural Manitoba second language options include French but German is still an option.

I have no idea whether that exists in other areas in Canada, or whether that is the remnant remaining of the Mennonites' prior agreement with the Crown made before immigration. But I'd be curious to know if other non Anglo, non Francophone regions, high in a particular ethnicity, have other languages taught besides French.

Good that you brought that up. Education is a provincial responsibility in Canada so there can be regional variations, and exceptions to the "French as a second language for English students" / "English as a second language for French students" rule that is assumed to apply across the country.

Your post reminded that Alberta I believe is actually the province whose education system has strayed the furthest away from the traditional English-French duality. I think they have a handful of schools that offer teaching in languages like Mandarin, Spanish, Ukrainian, German, etc. From what I gather many of them are actually located in Edmonton. Some of it a "heritage language" thing, in other cases it's because of a perceived advantage for international business, and in others it's probably more of a reactionary "ABF" (Anything But French) phenomenon.

But the vast majority of English-language schools in Alberta still teach French as a second language, so the OP's daughter is still very likely to wind up in a school where it is taught, especially at the elementary (primary) level.

[ramakaryam]

[quote=jungeon;10253439]"I may have an option of relocating to Edmonton if I get past an interview from a prospective employer. I would only move to Edmonton if I have the job offer in hand.
Considering this I have the following questions
1. My daughter is in class 3 in India. She was born in Feb 2002. Would she be eligible for class 4 if my family joins me in March 2010."

>> She should go into grade 4 based on age, but there is a chance she will be put back a few grades because india teaching standards are generally lower


HI
Based on the above comment, is there a website that lists the curriculum for grade 3 and grade 4 so that we can compare where we stand.

Thank you
Rama

[mikeyyc]

Edmonton Public Schools - Home

In Alberta the "Catholic" school board is for Separate Schools. Eg. Catholic, Jewish Academy, etc. They receive the identical funding as the public system, as the government funds both.

There are also numerous Charter schools, which are funded publicly as well, but will specialize for students in fields such as music, arts, athletics, languages.

The language issue will not be one, as it will be new for all students, and likely the vast majority of parents don't speak functional French either.

There really is no need to pursue private education in Alberta, however the option is there, and pricey.

Stantec is a large and well respected company, and you should have no issues. Edmonton's Indian population is smaller than Calgary's, however there is one.

The largest challenges will be more related to climate issues than anything else.

Good luck.

Mike