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Frequently Asked Questions
Statement on ranking of schools
Emmanuel Christian School is a member of the QAIS, the Quebec Association of Independent Schools (see www.qais.qc.ca). Please find below the official QAIS statement about schools rankings, with which we are in full agreement.
Does QAIS rank its member schools?
QAIS strongly believes that each member school has a unique vision and mission. Ranking our schools would contradict this belief as it is based on the premise that the schools being compared share a common mission. A parent is encouraged to identify the school which best meets the needs of their child.
QAIS policy on ranking schools:
In relation to questions pertaining to elementary and secondary education, we must keep our focus on the children’s best interests. The Quebec Association of Independent Schools is opposed to the ranking of schools. The "best" school whether it is public or independent is the school that uniquely meets the needs of each particular child.
In the independent school sector, each institution, in its mission statement, defines its own objectives: the kind of program and campus culture the school provides, and often, the qualities that will help a student to succeed there. These schools were not created from one mold. They have different missions; offer different grade ranges, denominational persuasions, curricular emphasis, pedagogical approaches, and extracurricular programs. Some schools are highly competitive by design, others intentionally create an atmosphere wherein success is defined by the goals targeted by the individual student. Students will thrive in the environment best suited to them; some schools focus on the arts, some on mathematics and science, others on outdoor education or the liberal arts. Different schools offer programs for different types of students-- bright students with learning differences, the gifted, students of average ability, children who face particular challenges.
Independent schools are to be judged, through their rigorous accreditation and goal setting processes, according to what they individually set out to accomplish. Ranking such wonderfully different schools against one another misrepresents the institutions, misleads consumer-minded parents about the factors that should be considered in the complex process of choosing a school, but most importantly, can hurt children. Ranking elementary and secondary schools is a de facto labeling of vulnerable children and adolescents and is inherently wrong.
Ranking of schools encourages a destructive competitiveness, leading institutions away from offering rich alternatives and toward a stultifying sameness. It is a disservice to the schools, concerned parents, and children, and therefore, to our society.
Acknowledgement and thanks to the NAIS for allowing the QAIS to adapt the NAIS Statement: On Ranking Schools © 1997 National Association of Independent Schools
Q: I am home schooling, but would like my children to graduate from Emmanuel’s High School. When should I enroll them?
A: We welcome your application at any time. However, we strongly urge you to consider enrolling your children as they enter Secondary IV (or grade 10). The reasons are three fold.
- Official High School Leaving Certificates issued by the MELS (Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports) are based on credits earned during Secondary IV and V. Although it is possible to earn these in Secondary V, the study load is considerably higher and no failures can be tolerated. The History of Quebec and Canada course, for instance, would have to be done by the student at home.
- The laboratory sciences courses span two years, starting with the Physical Science course in Secondary IV and continuing with Physics and Chemistry. As these are all challenging courses, it is better to take them over the two-year period.
- The advanced Mathematics courses (which constitute pre-calculus) in Secondary IV and V are even more challenging than the Science courses, and should be taken over the two year period.
In order to obtain a High School Leaving Certificate, the student must pass all the required courses under the applicable certification system.
Please also note that students attending the High School division are required to have a Certificate of Eligibility to receive instruction in English delivered by the Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports.
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