Extended Kindergarten Registration Evening

On Wednesday January 18, 2012, parents and new students will be given an opportunity to visit the school and meet some of the staff and teachers from 5 to 7pm; this extended registration hours will be an opportunity to have questions answered.
Appointments will also be available during the school day for those families who cannot make the evening.

Kindergarten Open House

In May, 2011, a Kindergarten open house will take place at the school as part of the TCDSB Welcome to Kindergarten Program. Parents/caregivers and their children who will be starting Kindergarten in the Fall will be invited to attend an orientation session where they will be provided with resources and experiences that support early learning at home and promote a smooth transition to school.

At the orientation session, parents/caregivers and their pre-kindergarten children will engage in early learning play activities together and receive a bag of resources (including magnetic letters and numbers, books, crayons, glue, scissors, paper, pencil, play dough and more) to keep and use during the summer months.

The orientation sessions are delivered by school staff along with community partners such as the Toronto Public Library, local childcare centres, and Toronto Public Health.

Qualifications for enrollment

A child qualifies for enrollment at Blessed Sacrament School if the following conditions are met:
- the child is of age to attend an elementary school
- the child or one of his/her parents has been baptized in the Catholic faith
- the parents/guardians live within the Blessed Sacrament parish boundaries:

For September 2012, a child must be four years old by December 31, 2012 (born in 2008) to be eligible for junior kindergarten and must be five years old by December 31, 2012 (born in 2007) to be eligible for senior kindergarten.

Documents required for enrollment

The following documents for your child will be required at time of registration:
1. Registration Form (this form will also be available at the school)
2. proof of residency in Toronto (i.e. utility bill)
3. proof of Canadian citizenship (Canadian birth certificate) or Landed Immigrant papers
4. Catholic baptismal certificate (proof of Catholicity)
5. Ontario Health Card
6. Record of immunization

FAQ for Kindergarten Registration

Who can register at TCDSB elementary school?
Catholic children and children of Catholic parents (at least one custodial parent must have proof of Catholicity).

Can I send photocopies of the documents?
Please provide original documents where possible to the school at the time of registration. School will make copies and return the originals to parents.

Is JK mandatory?
Although it is not mandatory, if a parent chooses not to send their child to junior kindergarten, they will still be placed in senior kindergarten the following September in order to keep children with their same aged peers.

Do you have all–day kindergarten at Blessed Sacrament?
At this time, Blessed Sacrament does not offer full-day kindergarten.
Currently, there are 38 schools in the TCDSB that offer full day Kindergarten programs; the province announced in the summer of 2010 that by the 2015-2016 school year, all schools in the TCDSB and the province will offer the full day Early Learning Program for all four- and five year-olds. This program establishes a strong foundation in the early years and will give these children a stronger start on their learning to help improve their reading, writing and math skills, provide a smoother transition to Grade 1 and help increase their success in school and beyond.

On what day does my child start school?
School for SK students begins on the first day of school (the day after Labour Day). JK children begin school on a staggered entry to allow for adjustment to the formal class setting. Your child’s JK teacher will contact you to make arrangements for the first day of class for your child.

Do I get my choice of mornings or afternoons?
Parents can indicate their preference for morning or afternoon sessions and the Blessed Sacrament administration will try to accommodate these requests as far as possible.

Is there school bus transportation provided?
Blessed Sacrament offers bus transportation for students within the school boundaries. The TCDSB Transportation Department at 229-5313 can also confirm the availability of transportation. The TCDSB transportation policy is available on their website at http://www.tcdsb.org/policyregister/ST01.html

Extended French Registration

Blessed Sacrament is one of only 19 centres in the TCDSB to offer the Extended French program beginning in grade 5 up to grade 8. Students are taught in French for half the day and in English for the other half. Students are offered the opportunity to expand their cultural experience by becoming more fluent in one of Canada's official languages and by being able to participate adequately in conversation. It also offers many possibilities to students such as bilingual job opportunities, cultural exchanges and enjoyment as well as developing an independent approach to study.

Subjects taught in French include:
- French language arts
- Social studies (grade 5 and 6)
- History and geography grade 7 and 8)
- Music
- Physical and health education
- Visual arts
Subjects taught in English include:
- English language arts
- Religious education
- Mathematics
- Science
- Family Life (Fully Alive)

An Information evening will be held Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at Blessed Sacrament. If you are unable to attend and would like more information, please download the Extended French brochure, call the TCDSB FSL Department at 416-222-8282, extension 2540, or call Blessed Sacrament School at 416-393-5226.