Your Child’s Education
As a parent or guardian, you have a choice of sending your children to: 
- Publicly funded public schools (English or French),
- Publicly funded Catholic schools (English or French),
- Private school, or
- Schooling your children at home.
Publicly Funded Schools
Elementary schools run kindergarten programs for children aged 4 and 5, and grade 1 to 8 programs for children aged 6 to 13. Secondary schools teach grade 9 to 12 for children and youth aged 12 to 18. All children and youth between the ages of 6 and 18 must attend school.
Publicly funded elementary and secondary school education is free for children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. International students going to publicly funded schools in Ontario pay tuition fees. There are also fees for a number of school programs or services, or fees for some supplies and materials. Contact the Ministry of Education or individual school boards for more detailed information about tuition and other school fees, and financial assistance programs.
Usually children go to the school closest to their home. To find the schools closest to you use the Which School Do I Attend? tool.
You must register your children for school. Contact the Ministry of Education, the school’s principal, or the local school board to find out about registering and getting your children for school.
The school system in Waterloo Region may be different from the system in your home country. Meet with the principal and teachers at your children’s school to learn:
- What teachers expect from your children
- What responsibilities you and the teachers have
- What to do if your child misses school, or has problems at school or home.
For more information about publicly-funded schools in Waterloo Region, including contact information, registration procedures and a school calendar, visit the school board websites:
Private Schools
Private schools place students in a specific culture, language, religious heritage, philosophy, or use a specific approach to teaching. Private schools are not funded by the government and are not free. There are many private schools in Waterloo Region.
Home Schooling
If you home school your children you need to follow Ontario guidelines. Visit Newcomers' Guides to Education at Settlement.Org to find out more about the curriculum in Ontario.
English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) programs help students who read and speak a language other than English, but need to learn or improve their English language skills. English Literacy Development (ELD) programs help students who have not yet learned to read or write. ELD programs develop children’s English language skills.
For information about English language programs for children see 
English Language Services in Waterloo Region (pdf).
Children do better in school when their parents take part in their education. Talk to the school principal or school board to find out how you can get involved.
Most public and catholic board schools have settlement workers in schools through the Settlement and Educational Partnerships in Waterloo Region (SEPWR) program. The workers help newcomer students and their families adjust to Canadian society and schools. Contact the YMCA Cross-Cultural and Community Services for more information about SEPWR.
You may also be interested in Activities for Children and Families.
For more information…