FAQ

All you have to do is to telephone the administrative office in your area.

2. Does La ribambelle have a waiting list? Is it long? How long will we have to wait before being assigned a place?

Yes we keep a witing list for two reasons: either because there are not enough available spaces, or because we are waiting until we have enough registrations to open a new group in a specific center. The length of the list and the waiting time vary depending on requests. As soon as we know when we will be opening a new group at an existing centre, la ribambelle notifies the parents whose names appear on the list in order of priority. With regards to available spaces, it is impossible to predict departures. In order to be officially on the waiting list, parents must fill out all appropriate registration forms and requirements.

3. Is la ribambelle an English or French centre?

La ribambelle is a French-language preschool centre. French is the official language spoken at all times at our centres.

4. If a child is not from a French-speaking background, can he still be registered at la ribambelle?

Nearly half of the children enrolled at la ribambelle are not from a French-speaking background. English-speaking parents choose la ribambelle so that their child can learn a second language or be prepared to attend a French-language or immersion school.

5. Does la ribambelle accept persons who are subsidized by the City?

Yes, la ribambelle welcomes parents who receive subsidies.

6. What is the registration fee at la ribambelle?

The fee varies depending on the program in which the child is enrolled and the region. To obtain further information, please contact our administrative office in your area.

7. What programs are offered at la ribambelle?

La ribambelle offers programs for infants, toddlers, preschool aged children in London and Sarnia and pupils — before and after school programs in Sarnia only. All the programs are offered full-time, but some may be available part-time depending on availability. Please consult our list of programs or contact the administrative office in London or Sarnia to obtain full details.

8. At what age are children accepted into your groups?

Programs vary from one centre to another and from one region to the next, but are based on the following categories:

Infants: 0 to18 months
Toddlers: 18 to 30 months
Preschool aged children: 30 months to 5 years
Before and after school: 5 to 12 years

9. What programming is available at la ribambelle?

Based on its vision—“to prepare children aged 0 to 5 for life”—la ribambelle seeks to promote each child’s growth through development of the whole person in a safe, stimulating, French-speaking environment.

La ribambelle follows a democratic approach, i.e., a child-centred education and active learning. We foster each child’s capacity to act on the basis of his own interests, strengths, and limits. Relations between educators and children are democratic; the two share in a partnership.
La ribambelle use the program “Pacific Path.” Play is the form of expression and learning on which la ribambelle bases itself. Through playing, the child develops new skills, experiments, and develops physically, intellectually, and socially.

10. Do the educational staff at la ribambelle have qualifications in early years?

Each class of two groups has one qualified educator and another who is working toward qualification. La ribambelle strongly encourages its non-qualified educational staff to take the necessary training to obtain their diplomas. In addition, during the year, la ribambelle allocates three professional development days (PD DAY) for all its employees.

11. How many children can each group have?

La ribambelle accepts a maximum of three children per group of infants, five per group of toddlers, and eight per preschool-age group. Before and after school pupil groups may have up to 15 children.

12. Is it possible to visit a la ribambelle centre?

To visit a centre, all you need to do is make an appointment by calling the administrative office of your area. The centre director will be happy to explain our programs and answer your questions.

13. What do we have to bring to la ribambelle for our children?

You will find a detailed answer to this question under “Internal Regulations and Rules” in the Parent Guide.

14. What kind of activities or outings does la ribambelle organize for the children?

Outings vary depending on the region, and are mainly offered to preschool age children. Toddlers are taken on outings once or twice, but only later in the year. Some activities are held in the centre itself, such as reptile demonstrations, parties, and theme days. All centres publish a monthly activity calendar.

15. Is it true that a child who has attended la ribambelle is better prepared than the others when he goes to a French-language or immersion school?

Based on comments from administrators and teachers at the two French-language school boards in Southwestern Ontario, children who come from la ribambelle adapt to school much more easily. They are better prepared to function in a French-language environment and on average adapt more readily to the social and educational environment.

16. Is it possible to enrol in la ribambelle via the website?

In order to ensure better communication and avoid misunderstandings, la ribambelle does not accept online registration. We recommend that you telephone the administrative office in your area to obtain all the necessary information to enrol your child.

17. Do la ribambelle centres provide meals and snacks for the children?

Can they accommodate children who have special needs?
La ribambelle centres provide meals and snacks to all enrolled children, except for infants aged 0 to 12 months. We serve a snack in the morning, a meal at noon, and another snack in the afternoon.

It is forbidden to bring food into any of la ribambelle buildings. However, upon presentation of a doctor’s recommendation, special permission may be granted.

La ribambelle is an entirely nut and peanut-free environment. The centres respect the needs of children who have anaphylactic allergies and have designed their menus accordingly.