STUDENT ENROLMENT & CHOICE

Background

The District shall designate school catchment areas in the District to align population distribution, grade configurations and school locations to meet program needs of students and make the best possible use of facilities, staff and transportation.  Students will normally attend their catchment area schools except where there are space limitations or when students have successfully applied to attend a school in another catchment area, including for enrolment in a program of choice or specialty academy.  Students may also enroll in the District’s alternate or distributed learning schools.

Procedures

1. Although the default enrolment option is the catchment area (neighbourhood) school, the District supports student choice, including the choice of parents to enroll their children in non-catchment schools if space and facilities allow.Once enrolled in a non-catchment school, that student is considered an in-catchment student in future years of attendance in that school.While at least one child in a family is enrolled in the school, any sibling registering will also be considered an in-catchment student at that same school, including those registering for kindergarten.
2. When the District considers school catchment boundaries, student population will be equated as closely as possible to the functional capacity of each school. When a boundary is changed, existing students whose catchment area changes will be allowed to continue at their current school.
3. Decisions regarding student placement will be guided by:
   1. Maximizing enrolment in catchment area schools;
   2. Supporting choice of parents and students for non-catchment schools following consultation regarding implications of such a move;
   3. Consideration of stability and continuity for students and families;
   4. Ensuring effective resource allocations in light of student enrolment;
   5. Supporting student enrolment in programs of choice and specialty academies.
4. The District recognizes that student needs are diverse and that secondary students may choose to enroll in more than one school.
5. Students shall normally be registered in the school in the catchment area in which they reside.Parents can expect that schools will verify places of residence and parents may be required to provide documentation to provide proof of permanent residency.
6. All K-5 students new to the District shall have their initial placement facilitated by the central registry at the District Office. Placement will normally be in the catchment area school if space is available.If space is not available, parents will be consulted and provision will be made for registration in another District school pending space becoming available in the catchment area school.Students in grades 6-12 will register in their neighbourhood school or school of choice.
7. Parents wishing to enroll their children in out-of-catchment schools will be required to meet with the administration of the receiving school to apply for registration and to complete an out-of-catchment area application available on the District website.The central District registry or the receiving school will date stamp out of area requests and place students on a wait list.On or before September 15, principals will determine the number of seats available in classes or programs.If possible, decisions for intake of out of area students will be made before the end of the preceding school year.If the Principal determines that space and facilities are available, students from the wait list will be selected based on the following priority order:
   1. Priority 1:A student whose enrolment has been approved by District executive, or directed by the student review process or board resolution.
   2. Priority 2: A student whose enrolment is in a District-designated program of choice or specialty academy.
   3. Priority 3: A student who is in-District and out-of-catchment.
   4. Priority 4: A student from outside the District.
   Within each group, students will be selected on the basis of the date of receipt of the request for enrolment in the receiving school.
8. Receiving schools will notify parents of students on the wait list as soon as a decision is made, or as soon after September 15 as possible, to indicate whether or not the request has been accommodated.
9. Students in kindergarten through grade 9 will be allowed in only one school of record.
10. Students in grades 10-12 will be allowed to register in more than one school in accordance with provisions of the Act and Regulations.
11. Grade 8 students will be able to attend grade 9 at the school of their choice (per the provisions of sections 5 through 10 as applicable) and remain eligible for BC School Sports competitions in their school of choice.