Effective Date: March 10, 2018
Responsibility: Superintendent of Business and Superintendent of Schools
Rationale
Students have the right to attend a designated school based on their parent/guardian’s residential address. Each school’s responsibility and priority is to serve those students residing within that school’s boundary, as established by the Near North District School Board. It is the Board’s policy that students are expected to attend their home zoned schools.
The Near North District School Board recognizes that special circumstances exist and when possible will provide students with opportunities to access a specified school or program only when space is available, outside the designated attendance area in which they reside. The availability of space shall be determined by the Principal in conjunction with the Superintendent of Schools.
Available space in schools and individual classrooms can vary from year to year. Requests to attend a school other than the home zoned school may only be considered if space is available and there is no additional staffing, transportation, or facility costs to the Board.
Principles
An approved Out of Zone School Attendance application lasts for one year only, and therefore families must reapply each year. Applications are to be submitted to the school principal no later than May 15th for consideration for the following school year.
School principals will consider the needs of the individual student and their particular circumstances in reviewing/approving the application.
Requests based on medical reasons must be supported with documentation from an appropriate source (i.e., physician, professional counselor).
Admission
No student will be admitted to a school other than their home school without:
- consultation, either in person or by telephone, between a parent/guardian and the home school Principal;
- a consultation between the two school’s Principals.
A Principal may refuse admission to a student if they believe such admission would not be in the best interest of the student and/or the school.
If approved, the student will be admitted to the out of zone school for the duration of that school year. The parent/guardian is required to contact the school no later than May 15th to inquire about space availability for the following school year.
Final decisions regarding applications will normally be made in June.
Transportation
The parent/guardian is responsible for providing transportation to and from the Out of Zone school. Transportation may be provided if it is available at no additional cost to the Board and is dependent on:
- A school bus route already servicing the area in question;
- The availability of a vacant seat on the route in question; and
- If the student would be required to transfer school buses, the other route(s) must meet these criteria. The route path or length of trip must not be altered when granting Out of Zone courtesy transportation. The student will be offered the closest stop on an existing route servicing the school.
Transportation may be withdrawn at any time if:
- Seating is required for eligible students;
- Altering the route is necessary; or
- Student behaviour is unacceptable.
