6002 – Compulsory Student Enrolment

Legal References:
Education Act
Related References:
Administrative Procedure 1010 – Junior and Senior Kindergarten Registration
IS-14-01: Transition to Full Day Kindergarten
Effective Date:
February 23, 1998
Revisions:
January 22, 2018, February 10, 2020, October 21, 2024
Reviewed:
September 19, 2016

1. Purpose

1.1 The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) offers, on the first school day of September in that year:

1.1.1 Junior kindergarten to any child who has attained the age of four years on the 31st day of December in that calendar year;

1.1.2 Senior kindergarten to any child who has attained the age of five years on the 31st day of December in that calendar year.

1.2 The WRDSB promotes full time attendance whenever possible, as most children readily adapt to full-day learning in a caring, well-supervised kindergarten environment. Students benefit from the social/emotional opportunities provided in this environment and are provided with a strong foundation for learning.

2. Definitions

2.1 Full‐day kindergarten: operates Monday through Friday of each week and follows the school year calendar.

3. Application

3.1 Attendance in both the junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten programs are not compulsory unless, consistent with the Education Act, a child has registered and attended either a junior or senior kindergarten program, at which point, they are considered compulsory school age regardless of their age, and their attendance is compulsory.

3.2 Junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten programs operate Monday through Friday of each week and follow the school year calendar. If parents intend to adjust their child’s schedule to assist with their transition into the full‐day kindergarten program, parents are to do so in consultation with the school administrator by completing form IS-14-01: Transition to Full Day Kindergarten. If the student is not attending full‐time by October 31, the student will be placed on the appropriate register, based on minutes of instruction.

3.3 In compliance with legislation contained in the Education Act, it is the policy of the WRDSB to enroll in school every child who attains the age of six on or before the first school day in September of that calendar year (compulsory school-age), on the first school day in September of that year.

3.4 The Board of Trustees will receive junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten enrolment numbers annually in alignment with Ministry of Education reporting dates.

6002 – Compulsory Student Enrolment