It really does seem like yesterday that we went through the kindergarten registration process with our own three children. I was nervous and totally not ready to send them out in to the world. (I actually feel this way EVERY September so I never got over it obviously.)
A lot has changed since then but the TDSB Kindergarten Registration process is getting easier every year. Hello, online registration!
All children that will be turning 4 by December 31, 2018 are able to attend a kindergarten program in the City of Toronto in September of this year. If you are new to Toronto and not sure which grade to register for, just contact your schools principal.
Looking to send your child to the local school within your catchment area? It's pretty straight forward. To find your local school for the TDSB or TCDSB you just need to enter your address and then register in-person or online.
Oh, and get used to using loads of acronyms, the board loves them! (FDK, LOI, EQAO, DPA, ECE, FEX, IEP, HSP...you'll be throwing these terms around in no time.)
If you are hoping to send your wee one to a school that is not your designated school you can apply for optional attendance. Many schools in Toronto are closed for optional attendance due to crowding but you can contact your school of choice and find out.
If you're interested in French Immersion programs, they don't begin until Senior Kindergarten (SK) and applications are done in January of your childs Junior Kindergarten (JK) year.
There are also many other programs offered by the TDSB including home schooling, alternative schools and academic academies .
To register for any TDSB program you will need proof of age (birth certificate/passport), address (2 pieces of I.D that show address) and your child's immunization record. If you don't have the necessary documentation you can contact the admissions office at either the TDSB or TCDSB.
Many parents are concerned about before and after school care and not every school can accommodate all of the children that need it. These fee-based programs are run by a third-party child care provider at the school. Programming usually runs from about 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. When you register your child at the school, speak with the Administrator or Principal about the availability of an Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) Before & After School Program, including details about registration and how to get on a wait-list if there is one!
Here's a brief summary of what to expect in Kindergarten at the TDSB.
Have fun wee ones!
In Kindergarten, children learn in a play-based learning environment with a team of responsive educators who plan learning experiences that promote inquiry and higher order thinking in language, mathematics, science and technology, personal and social development, health and physical activity, and the arts.Children learn through the integration of the four frames: belonging & contributing, self-regulation and well-being, demonstrating literacy and mathematics behaviour, and problem solving and innovating.Over the course of a two-year program, children develop self-regulation, and build literacy and numeracy skills while developing positive attitudes toward learning and school. Opportunities exist throughoutthe Kindergarten day for children to explore learning centres that include drama, writing, math, reading, writing, painting and visual arts, and working with materials such as sand, water, and construction blocks. - TDSB website