Proposed Boundaries, Maps, and Implementations

There are three recommendations that are being considered in this boundary study as a result of the new Seaton #1 Catholic School construction. These include the adjustment of Seaton #1 Catholic School Boundary (recommendation #1), and a boundary adjustment to St. André Bessette Catholic School, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School, and St. Jude Catholic School (recommendation #2). A boundary adjustment to Ajax Secondary schools is also required to align with the proposed changes in recommendations #1 and #2.

Information on these recommendations can be found below.

Recommendation #1: Adjustment of Seaton #1 Catholic School Boundary 

Staff recommends the ‘In-Principle’ boundary for the Unnamed Seaton #1 Catholic Elementary School as outlined in the map below. This boundary recommendation will only impact the rural areas of St. Wilfrid and St. Elizabeth Seton, where at the time of this report there are no students attending St. Elizabeth Seton and no students attending St. Wilfrid. Any students currently residing within the existing Seaton boundary who have been registered at DCDSB are attending St. André Bessette, or are cross-boundary to another school, or French Immersion at St. Monica or St. Isaac Jogues. When the new school opens, it is anticipated that students who may be attending other non-DCDSB schools will transfer into the new school.

Unnamed Seaton #1 Catholic School Proposed Boundary Map

Anticipated Implementation

For this boundary review, staff have applied the following assumptions for students affected by the boundary change:

  • All Kindergarten - Grade 8 students in 2026-2027 within the proposed Seaton #1 boundary attending St. André Bessette will be directed to attend the new Unnamed Seaton Catholic Elementary School upon the opening.
  • Staff will explore housing both St. André Bessette students and the new Unnamed Seaton #1 students in St. André Bessette for the 2026-2027 school year. This would allow for the school to be moved at an appropriate time (i.e. Christmas break or March Break), should the construction of the new school be complete and ready for occupancy. This should accelerate the enrolment from the Seaton boundary and support the Catholic students and families wanting to attend a Catholic school in their community.
  • Any Kindergarten - Grade 8 student moving into the adjusted Unnamed Seaton Catholic Elementary School boundary after the approval of this report will continue to be directed to the St. André Bessette until the opening of the new school.
  • The secondary school boundary for Seaton is St. Mary Catholic Secondary School and will remain unchanged.
  • Any students wishing to attend as cross-boundary would be subject to the criteria of the cross-boundary process, and not eligible for transportation.
  • Transportation to the new school will follow the Board Transportation Policy (PO429). 

Recommendation #2: Boundary Adjustment to St. André Bessette CS, St. Catherine of Siena CS, and St. Jude CS 

On October 28, 2024, the Board of Trustees approved the postponement of the Ajax Boundary and Program Review, however, as a result of the pending opening of the new Unnamed Seaton #1 school in 2026-2027, staff are recommending that three Ajax schools are considered for boundary reviews. Staff have considered adjusting the boundaries of St. André Bessette Catholic School, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Jude, as outlined in the map below, upon the opening (or at the next new school year) of the Unnamed Seaton #1 school. This is to help balance the enrolment at these three schools.

Ajax Elementary School Proposed Boundary Map

Proposed St. André Bessette Catholic School Boundary

Proposed St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School Boundary Map

Proposed St. Jude Catholic School Boundary Map

Anticipated Implementation

For this boundary review, staff have applied the following assumptions for students affected by the boundary change:

  • Grade 7 students enrolled at St. Catherine of Siena and St. Jude in June 2027 will have to attend the school associated with their new boundary or remain at their current school for the 2027-2028 school year in Grade 8. A survey will of parents of Grade 7 students be conducted in 2026-2027 school year to determine whether they will graduate from their current school or transition to the new school. The majority preference based on the results of the survey will guide the decision, along with program viability. 
  • Any new student moving into the new St. André Bessette, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Jude boundary after January of 2027 will be directed to the Catholic school associated with the new boundary.
  • Any students wishing to attend as cross-boundary would be subject to the criteria of the cross-boundary process, and not eligible for transportation.
  • Transportation to the new school will follow the Board Transportation Policy (PO429). 

Recommendation #3: Boundary Adjustment to Notre Dame and Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic Secondary Schools to Align with the Proposed Changes in Recommendations #1 and #2

On December 19, 2022, the Board of Trustees approved the recommended boundary adjustments to Notre Dame and Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic Secondary Schools, which were approved to be in effect for September 2023.  

In the December 19, 2022, report the approved recommendation corrected a legacy issue from an April 7, 2014 Board decision to change boundaries to St. Patrick, St. Jude and Mother Teresa (now St. Teresa of Calcutta) Catholic elementary schools. The legacy issue allowed grade 8 students graduating from St. Jude to choose between Notre Dame or Archbishop Denis O’Connor as their Secondary school. 

Staff recognize that should the Trustees approve the ‘In-Principle’ recommendations #1 and #2 in this report, there would need to be an adjustment to the Secondary boundaries of Notre Dame and Archbishop Denis O’Connor to ensure that a similar legacy issue is not created.  

Current Ajax Secondary School Boundary Map

Proposed Ajax Secondary School Boundary Map

Anticipated Implementation:

  • The Ajax secondary school "in-principle" boundary changes are being recommended to align with the proposed  boundary revisions to St. Jude Catholic School and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School (as outlined in recommendation #2). 

School Specific Information

  • Study Area 1 (referred to as “SA 1” in the map) is proposed to move within the Seaton #1 Catholic School boundary.
  • Currently no students at St. Elizabeth Seton reside in the impacted boundaries. No current St. Elizabeth Seton students (as of September 2025) would be affected by the proposed boundary revision.
  • Any new students would be made aware of the upcoming proposed boundary revisions at the time of registration.
  • The secondary school boundary for Seaton #1 and St. Elizabeth Seton is St. Mary Catholic Secondary School and would remain unchanged.
  • Transportation will continue to follow the Board’s Transportation Policy (PO429). 

  • Study Area 2 (referred to as “SA 2” in the map) is proposed to move within the Seaton #1 Catholic School boundary.
  • Currently no St. Wilfrid students reside in the proposed impacted boundaries. No current St. Wilfrid students (as of September 2025) would be affected by the proposed boundary.
  • Any new students would be made aware of the proposed boundary revisions at the time of registration.
  • The secondary school boundary for Seaton #1 and St. Wilfrid is St. Mary Catholic Secondary School and would remain unchanged.
  • Transportation will continue to follow the Board’s Transportation Policy (PO429).  

  • Students who reside within the Seaton #1 Catholic School boundary and are currently attending St. André Bessette will remain at the school until the new Seaton #1 is open.
  • Students residing within the Seaton #1 Catholic School boundary may move to the new school when it opens at an optimal time during the 2026-2027 school year (i.e. following Christmas Break or March Break, etc.).
  • The St. André Bessette Catholic School boundary is proposed to change to include study areas that are currently part of the St. Catherine of Siena boundary in September 2027 (anticipated). In the proposed boundary, students in the impacted study areas attending St. Catherine of Siena would be redirected to St. André Bessette.
  • This boundary change is being proposed to maintain a balanced school population and programming at all three Ajax schools (St. Catherine of Siena, St. André Bessette and St. Jude) that are part of this review.
  • For students who are within the St. André Bessette Catholic School boundary, the secondary school is Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.
  • For students who are within the Seaton #1 Catholic School boundary, the secondary school is St. Mary Catholic Secondary School.
  • Transportation will continue to follow the Board’s Transportation Policy (PO429). 

  • A boundary change is being proposed to maintain a balanced school population and programming at all three Ajax schools (St. Catherine of Siena, St. André Bessette and St. Jude) that are part of this review.
  • The proposed boundary change would come into effect in September 2027 (anticipated), after the new Seaton #1 Catholic School opens.
  • The St. Catherine of Siena boundary is proposed to change to include study areas that are currently part of the St. Jude boundary in September 2027 (anticipated) and remove study areas from St. Catherine of Siena and incorporate them into the St. André Bessette boundary.
  • In the proposed boundary, students in the impacted study areas attending St. Catherine of Siena would be redirected to St. André Bessette. Students within the St. Jude study areas that are proposed to be part of St. Catherine would be redirected to attend St. Catherine in September 2027 (anticipated).
  • For students who are within the new St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School boundary, the secondary school is proposed to be Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.
  • In the proposed boundary revision, Grade 7 students enrolled at St. Catherine of Siena and St. Jude in June 2027 would attend the school associated with their new boundary or remain at their current school for the 2027-2028 school year when they are in Grade 8. A survey of parents of Grade 7 students would be conducted in the 2026-2027 school year to determine whether they will graduate from their current school or transition to the new school. The majority preference will guide the decision, along with program viability.
  • In the proposed recommendation, any new student moving into the new St. André Bessette, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Jude boundary after January of 2027 would be directed to the Catholic school associated with the new boundary.
  • Transportation will continue to follow the Board’s Transportation Policy (PO429). 

  • A boundary change is being proposed to maintain a balanced school population and programming at all three Ajax schools (St. Catherine of Siena, St. André Bessette and St. Jude) that are part of this review.
  • The proposed boundary change would come into effect in September 2027 (anticipated), after the new Seaton #1 Catholic School opens.
  • The St. Jude boundary is proposed to change to remove study areas that are currently part of the St. Jude boundary in September 2027 (anticipated) and incorporate them into the St. Catherine of Siena boundary.
  • In the proposed boundary, students in the impacted study areas attending St. Jude would be redirected to St. Catherine of Siena.
  • In the proposed boundary reviews, Grade 7 students enrolled at St. Catherine of Siena and St. Jude in June 2027 would attend the school associated with their new boundary or remain at their current school for the 2027-2028 school year when they are in Grade 8. A survey of parents of Grade 7 students would be conducted in the 2026-2027 school year to determine whether they will graduate from their current school or transition to the new school. The majority preference will guide the decision, along with program viability.
  • In the proposed recommendation, any new student moving into the new St. André Bessette, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Jude boundary after January of 2027 would be directed to the Catholic school associated with the new boundary.
  • For students who are within the new St. Jude Catholic School boundary, the secondary school is Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School.
  • For students in the new St. Catherine of Siena boundary, the secondary school is proposed to be Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.
  • Transportation will continue to follow the Board’s Transportation Policy (PO429).