Get Ready to Learn
Do you have a child who will be eligible to attend Junior or Senior Kindergarten in September 2010? Registration for both the English and French Immersion programs is ongoing.
French Immersion programs are offered at John McCrae, Edward Johnson, Victory, Paisley Road (City of Guelph), James McQueen (Centre Wellington), Princess Elizabeth (Orangeville and Dufferin County), Brisbane (East Wellington), and Palmerston (North Wellington).
To find your local school – English or French Immersion - use the www.findmyschool.ca website.
Junior and Senior Kindergarten Registration
Eligibility
Children who will be 4 years of age on or before December 31, 2010, may attend Junior Kindergarten.
Children who are 5 years of age on or before December 31, 2010 may attend Senior Kindergarten.
Junior and Senior Kindergarten attendance in Ontario is not mandatory.
A child does not have to attend Junior Kindergarten to attend Senior Kindergarten.
If your child attended Junior Kindergarten you do not have to re-register for Senior Kindergarten.
About our Program
Both English and French Immersion programs are offered.
French Immersion in our board begins in Kindergarten.
We use the Blended Program model where Junior and Senior Kindergarten students work in the same classroom.
Some schools have been designated to offer the new Early Learning Program – ELP (full day kindergarten for four and five year olds). Children in these schools will attend Kindergarten all day, every day. See below.
Most other schools offer the Kindergarten program for a whole day, every other day (Monday-Wednesday-alternate Fridays or Tuesday-Thursday-alternate Fridays). At schools where all children can walk, the program often runs for a half day, every day. Ask your local school which schedule they use.
Kindergarten schedules will be provided by the school at which the child has been registered, and will be posted on the board’s website.
Early Learning Program
On Tuesday January 12, the Ministry of Education announced the schools that are eligible to offer the Early Learning Program (full day Kindergarten for four and five year olds) beginning in September 2010.
The following Upper Grand schools have been identified. The schools are listed in priority order as originally submitted to the Ministry for consideration:
Willow Road PS – Guelph
Grand Valley and District PS – Grand Valley
Laurelwoods ES – Orangeville
Brant Avenue PS – Guelph
Gateway Drive PS – Guelph
Victoria Cross PS – Mount Forest
Princess Margaret PS – Orangeville
Priory Park PS – Guelph
Minto-Clifford PS – Harriston
Drayton Heights PS – Drayton
Arthur PS –Arthur
Erin PS – Erin
John Black PS - Fergus
If a school offers the ELP all Kindergarten classes will follow the ELP schedule only (children attend all day, every day).
No schools that offer French Immersion are included for the 2010-11 school year.
More information for parents on the Early Learning Program will be provided at the time of registration.
Where to Register
You register in person at your local Upper Grand K-6 or K-8 elementary home school.
Each school has an attendance area. Your address determines your attendance area and as a result, your home school.
If your child is enrolled in French Immersion, the French Immersion school is your home school. Please register only at your designated French Immersion school if you wish your child to attend this program.
If you don’t know your attendance area or your home school, use the
www.findmyschool.ca website.
If the child is a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident, you register directly with your home school. If a child does not fall into one of these two categories, it may be necessary to meet with Board staff before you register. Your home school will be able to provide you with more information.
When to Register
Documents Required
Proof of your child’s age (birth certificate, birth registration form, Baptismal certificate, passport).
Proof of, and, full address (driver’s license, bank statement, utility bill, or similar documentation). Confirm that the address is within the school boundary.
Any relevant custody order documents.
At the school you will be asked to complete a Student Admission Form. You may download and print it in advance:
Student Admission Form - PDF
Busing Information
Busing is provided by Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services. See the website:
www.stwdsts.ca.
Children are bussed based on their age and the distance they live from their home school. Board policy states that the maximum walking distance for a child in Kindergarten is 1.5 km.
To find out if your child is eligible for bus transportation, use the
www.findmyschool.ca website.
Bus information will be provided to parents approximately two weeks before the first day of school.
French Immersion Information - General
- Not all schools offer the French Immersion program (see below). Use the www.findmyschool.ca website to find the school your child will attend. The French Immersion school is your home school.
- You should register at the designated French Immersion school, not at your English home school. This ensures that we have only one registration (English or FI) for each child.
- French Immersion will not be offered at Early Learning Program schools for the 2010-11 school year.
- Edward Johnson and John McCrae schools in Guelph offer only the French Immersion program, all other schools that offer French Immersion are dual track – offering both English and French Immersion programming.
Check out the additional information available on this website:
Coming Soon! More information on the Early Learning Program