We have had a number of questions from parents who are interested in enrolling their child at Palmerston, both in the English and French Immersion Programs.   The information below is taken from the PR (Operational Procedures) 545: Optional Attendance and PR 597: French Immersion/Extended French Procedures found on the TDSB Website.   We hope that this answers any questions parents may have.  

 

Table of Contents:

Excerpts from PR545: Optional Attendance (which also addresses students who are enrolling in their “home” school):

4.1 Regular Elementary Schools and Programs

9.0 Childcare [in regards to children who are enrolled at the Palmerston Community Daycare]

Excerpts from PR597: French Immersion/Extended French Procedure:

4.7. Program Placement [in the French Immersion Senior Kindergarten Program]

4.4. Admission of Siblings

4.8. Admission at Other than Designated Entry Points

 

 

 

Excerpts from PR545: Optional Attendance (which also address students who are applying to their “home” school)

4.1 Regular Elementary Schools and Programs

4.2 The school shall accommodate students from within its designated attendance area. Designated attendance boundaries will be approved by the Board.

4.3 Students will be provided with opportunities to access schools and programs when space is available, outside the designated attendance area in which they reside. (See form 545A for elementary and junior high school students)

4.4 Projected enrolment patterns for a three-year period will be used in the determination of those schools recommended for inclusion on a list of schools closed to optional attendance.

4.5 A list of schools closed to optional attendance will be prepared by the Planning Section, Facility Services, and distributed to schools and trustees during the first operating week in January.

9.0 Child Care (for child care operators and principals)

9.1 Every child who is eligible to attend school has the right to attend a designated school based on the home address of his or her parent(s) or guardian(s).

9.2 Every child enrolled in a school-based, licensed child care centre has the right to attend the host school, even when it is not the child’s designated school by home address.

9.3 Children are considered “in district” as long as they attend the child care centre located within the host school; these children should not be required to complete an Optional Attendance application. If children are withdrawn from the child care centre, they will be required to return to their designated school based on home address. However, if space is available at the host school, an application to remain may be made through the Optional Attendance process.

9.4 In the case of Immersion and Extended French programs, placement is determined by home address, not by child care location. Child care operators are encouraged to explain this to parents at the time of registration to ensure that the implications of having children attend a child care centre outside the home school are fully understood.

9.5 It is recommended that schools and school-based child care centres work together to coordinate registration and admission practices in the following ways:

9.5.1 Child care operators are encouraged, wherever possible, to give priority to children living in the school’s designated attendance area.

9.5.2 In early January of each year, child care operators should advise the principal of the number of children (according to licensed capacity) likely to enter school from that child care centre. This will assist the administration in school planning.

9.5.3 Child care operators should provide a current list of the names and addresses of all children enrolled in the child care centre who will be attending the school. (Parental approval to share information must first be obtained through the Information-Sharing Consent Form, 692A, which should be part of the child care registration package.) This list will serve as verification that those children living outside the school’s attendance area are registered in the school-based child care centre and will assist the school in maintaining an up-to-date record of out-of area students.

9.5.4 The school shall provide a letter to the parents/guardians of children living outside the school attendance area, stating that should the child be withdrawn from that particular child care centre, the child will be required to return to the designated school based on home address, or the parent/guardian may apply to have the child remain at the current school through the Board’s Optional Attendance process. The letter also provides information regarding registration in French programs.

 

Excerpts from PR597: French Immersion/Extended French Procedure

4.7. Program Placement [in the French Immersion Senior Kindergarten Program]

(a) Admission

(i)  Access to Immersion and Extended French programs is based on the English home school determined by the home address.

(ii) Catchment areas are determined for each Extended French and Immersion French program. Catchment areas may be changed at any time in accordance with Board policy and procedures.

(iii) The registration process is handled at the school level and by central staff deploying a centralized computer program which assigns students to the appropriate school.

(iv) A defined date for application is determined each year and posted on the TDSB website. Applications received before the deadline will be accommodated. Applications received after the deadline may be accommodated after on time applications are processed based on avail-ability of space.

(v) Applications are available through an on-line application for SK and Grade 4 at www.tdsb.on.ca/pars or at the local school for Grade 7 en-try. Assistance is available at local schools for families without computer access.

4.4. Admission of Siblings

The Board supports a Sibling Rule which ensures that children with siblings in the French program in the school and who will be in attendance the following year will have a priority placement.

4.8. Admission at Other than Designated Entry Points

(a) Immersion to Extended at Intermediate and Secondary Levels

Students seeking admission from Immersion to Extended French are considered on a case by case basis by the principal in consultation with Program staff.

(b) Last Date of Admission to Regular Entry Points

Subject to availability of space and the Ministry of Education class size requirements, the last date for admission to the regular entry points is as follows:

- Early Immersion (SK) Last day of December classes

- Middle Immersion (Grade 4) September 30

- Extended French (Grades 4, 6 and 7) September 30

(c) Admission from Other Jurisdictions

(i) Students who move into TDSB may be placed in French Immersion or Extended French programs if they have been enrolled in equivalent French Immersion or Extended French programs in other school boards in Ontario.

(ii) For other jurisdictions or for students without an equivalent French as a Second Language background, students may apply consistent with the Late Admission Procedure in 4.9.

(iii) Students from Francophone or private schools that offer equivalent French programs may apply to attend a French Immersion program if space is available.

(d) Demission from French Immersion/Extended French Programs

(i) Where students experience significant difficulties in a second language environment, students may be demitted from programs with parental consultation and consent. Such action may be taken after attempts to do the following:

- The provision of remedial support to the student through the School Support Team at the school

- The creation of an IEP for the student

- A meeting with parents to review the achievement of the student in the program

(ii) Students who leave a program may be required to return to their local school for the English Program as determined by home address or to apply for optional attendance in any English Program School. Admission through Optional Attendance will be based on availability of space in the school requested.

4.9. Late Admission and Re-Entry to French Immersion

(a) Students may be admitted to a French Immersion/Extended French program at other than the entry point after a review of student records or confirmation of an equivalent background in French, as determined by the principal in consul-tation with Program staff.

(b) Where the student’s background in French is deemed to be equivalent and space is available, the student will be admitted to the program.

(c) Where the student’s background in French is not equivalent, no late admission will be allowed. The student may be referred to another entry points, where such is possible.

(d) Where the equivalent background in French is in question, request for admis-sion to French Immersion and Extended French program will be directed to an Admissions Committee by the Principal of the request school. The admissions committee will consist of:

- Principal or designate of the requested school

- Receiving teacher of the appropriate grade

- Representative of the FSL department