How to prepare for the school open house in 2020? This is a big question given the current context. Fortunately, we live in an era where technology and digital can help us and help high schools as well.

Indeed, this year some schools are replacing the open house with virtual tours of their premises. This new way of doing things allows you to see the premises as if you were there. It is a modern alternative adapted to the current situation.

If the schools that interest you offer a so-called “regular” open house, this will allow you to capture the atmosphere of the school, ask your questions to the teachers, and to talk to the students in charge of your tour. In that case, here’s how you can get prepared to get the most out of these events and make the right decisions:

1.Do your research on scool.ca

Before you start, it’s important to talk to your child so you know what the two of you are looking for while asking yourself the right questions. Do you want a school in your neighborhood or is a 30-minute metro ride an option? Have you made your decision on public or private status? Do you have the opportunity to decide on the language of instruction? Do you need financial help? These are the kinds of questions you need to ask yourself and our search map can be useful. Using your location and the filters, you can find all the schools that match your criterias and then determine the 3 or 5 schools that are worth your visit.

2. Prioritize schools

Since open house events are held mainly on the same 2 or 3 weekends, we suggest you prioritize your visits based on your research done beforehand. Several options are available to you, including:

• Visit only your top 3;
• Visiting interesting (not top 3) schools, but you will need more info to categorize them properly.

You may have already determined your prioritization method! Do not hesitate to share it with us

3. Prepare your questions

After your research on scool.ca, write down the points you would like to deepen. Here are a few examples:

• How many days is the course cycle?
• How much time is allocated to physical education class per week?
• How does the locker allocation work?
• Who can the child go to for any problem?

Suggestion: Let your child prepare his/her own list of questions and let them ask it to the students he/she will meet during the visits. Remember, this is his/her future school so his/her opinions and questions are just as important, if not, more than yours.

4. Optimize your trip

The day before the open house,  why not use Google Maps to optimize your trips. By taking the time to observe the location of the chosen schools, you will be able to maximize your time by car or public transport. This will give you more time to ask your questions and capture the school atmosphere.

5. Don’t forget your mask

Obviously, as with any closed place, schools require a mask to be worn, so don’t forget it. It would be a shame to have planned so well and not being able to get into it!

 Tell us in the comments how did your open house go? Do you like the virtual version? Or are you more of the ‘go to schools’ type?