High School Beckons

This week my son visited our two local high schools to help him/us decide which school he will attend next year. I wasn't able to go to the parent's night at North Toronto Collegiate Institute, but I did get to Northern Secondary School last night, with Chris reluctantly in tow. Chris' mother met us there; she had been able to get to the North Toronto parent's night.

They're both excellent schools, which makes it hard to pick between them. Northern Secondary is one of the city's largest schools, with 1,900 students vs North Toronto's 1,100. Both have massive music programs, which is a startling contrast to junior and middle school, and lots of course options. "When I were a lad" these two schools were my options as well, although my mother decided to send me to a very small Catholic boy's school called Brebeuf College. At the time North Toronto was the "academic" school and Northern Secondary was the "trade" school. Although Northern Secondary still offers courses such as welding and auto mechanics while North Toronto does not, the academic programs seem to be equivalent.

Chris has expressed a preference for Northern Secondary, so I'll be sending him to North Toronto of course. Actually I was initially leaning toward North Toronto, but now it's an open race.

There were lots of parents I knew at the Northern Secondary parent's night, including Chris' friends and classmates and members of Chris' past hockey teams. I didn't expect to see an old girlfriend there though... Michelle's son Christian will be going to Northern Secondary next year because his father lives in-district. I never did figure out what happened between her and I. Perhaps she met someone more interesting (I think she started dating a Medieval Times performer). The story of my life!

Listening to: Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne from Welcome Interstate Managers.