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We believe early childhood education is key to life-long success. Our Catholic elementary schools offer an inclusive learning environment for children ages four and five. Our Kindergarten program focuses on inquiry and play-based learning which contributes to the overall development of the child.
Four Areas of Learning
Our Kindergarten program is based on four broad learning areas:
- Belonging and Contributing;
- Self-Regulations and Well-Being;
- Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours; and
- Problem Solving and Innovating.
These areas focus on aspects of learning that are critical to your child's development. They also reflect the integrated way in which your child will learn through play and inquiry in our classrooms. To learn more about theses areas, visit the Ontario Ministry of Education. Adapted from The Kindergarten Program 2016 (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 8)
Watch our video to find out how are students become capable, confident and curious learners.
Kindergarten Registration 2021-2022
Register online for Kindergarten
You are invited to register your child for Kindergarten at one of our Durham Catholic schools across the region. Students eligible to attend Kindergarten in September 2021 must be turning four years of age by December 31, 2021. Use our school locator tool to find your designated Catholic school in your area.
Online registration for the 2021-2022 school year is open. For questions about registration, please email admissions@dcdsb.ca. Once you have completed the online registration process, please contact your school to complete your registration.
In accordance with the Durham Catholic District School Board Policy PO428 – Exception to School Attendance Areas, parents and guardians may have a need or legitimate reason for wanting a child to attend a school other than their designated home school. In such cases the online registration will be directed to the school they have chosen.
Admission to an out of boundary school is subject to approval by the designated home school principal and out-of-boundary school principal. The application will initially be processed by the designated home school and then processed by the school requested. Applications will be approved in accordance with Board Policy and where space permits. Please note that the following schools are currently identified as having limited available space for 2021 - 2022:
- St. Patrick Catholic School, Ajax
- St. James Catholic School, Ajax
- St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic School, Ajax
- St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School, Oshawa
- St. Christopher Catholic School, Oshawa
- St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, Whitby
- St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School, Whitby
As such, approval for exception to school attendance areas at these schools may be limited. Please note that transportation will not be provided for an-out-of boundary school.
Navigating Kindergarten
We hosted a live parent/guardian series to help prepare you and your child for Kindergarten. Any parent/guardian that has a child who will be starting Kindergarten in September 2021 was invited to join us for Navigating Kindergarten, a live virtual parent/guardian series. This series provided tips to ensure a year filled with growth and learning.
If you were unable to join us for the live Zoom series a video recording of each session can be found below:
Welcome to Kindergarten (presented on February 23 and March 2, 2021):
Before and After School Childcare (presented on March 9, 2021)
Rooted in Faith – Why Choose a Catholic School? (presented on April 6, 2021)
Frequently asked questions
| How to register for Kindergarten? |
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Kindergarten registration opens on January 11, 2021. Follow the steps below to register your child in Kindergarten (Year One). NOTE: Children currently enrolled in Kindergarten Year One (JK) at one of our schools for 2020 - 2021 are automatically entered into the Kindergarten Year Two (SK) program.
Step 1Visit dcdsb.ca and use the school locator tool to find the designated school in your neighbourhood.
Step 2Click on the Kindergarten registration banner available on the school's website or at dcdsb.ca and enrol your child through the online application process. You can create a new parent account or log into an existing account.
Step 3Once your online registration is completed, the school will be in contact with you regarding next steps. At that time, parents and guardians are asked to provide the following documentation to complete their registration:
For questions about registration or the application process, email our Admissions department. If you require assistance or need access to a computer to complete the online registration, then please visit your local library or call your school and our staff will help with your registration or any concerns.
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| What are the registration requirements? |
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Families are required to complete the online registration for all new students entering Kindergarten. Children must be turning 4 years of age by December 31, 2021 to register in Junior Kindergarten and 5 years of age for Senior Kindergarten. |
| How do I find my local Catholic school? |
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We invite you to use our school locator tool to find a Durham Catholic school near you. |
| When should I plan my before and after school child care needs? |
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We recommend that you plan your child care needs now! Learn more about our Child Care Centre and Before/After school programs. For additional information, email child care programs or call 905-576-6150 ext. 22172. |
| How do you help children transition into Kindergarten? |
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Our elementary schools host "Welcome to Kindergarten" sessions during April, May and June of each year. Key information regarding your child's transition into Kindergarten is available in our Welcome to Kindergarten guide.
If your child will be attending Kindergarten in September 2021, we invite you to join us for Navigating Kindergarten, a live virtual parent/guardian series to prepare you and your child for Kindergarten. Sessions were held in February, March and April, and provided tips to ensure a year filled with growth and learning. Each session was recorded, and the video recordings can be found on this page (see above).
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| Are there resources available to help parents prepare their child for Kindergarten? |
| Yes, the following resources are available to help parents and guardians support a child's transition into Kindergarten. |