For those parents that live outside the Duncan Cran attendance area and want to register their child(ren) at our school, please check out this important informational letter from the board office regarding variance requests. Please call the school if you have any questions!

School District No. 60

PEACE RIVER NORTH
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

10112 – 105 Avenue, Fort st. John, British Columbia V1J 4S4   Phone: 1250> 262·6000   Fax: 1250> 262·6046

OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

February 2,2012

RE: SD60 Student Admission and School Choice

Dear Parents,

The intent of this letter  is to clarify school admission policy,particularly as it relates to variances.

Policy

Student admission in School District No. 60 (Peace River North) is to be guided by the following principles

Access to neighbourhood school: The admission process should ma ximize the number of students able to attend their  catchment  area school in accordance with their wishes

Choice: The admission process should maximize the student’s and parent’s  ability to choose

the school and educational program whic h best meets the student’s educational needs. Efficient resource allocation: The admission process should enable school and district staffs to plan the allocation of space and instructional resources to best accommodate  demand and minimize adjustments required at the beginning of the school year.

As schools plan for the beginning of any school year, they need to consider the space and resources they have available. The determination of available space is not made solely on the number  of students  in a particular class. The Principal takes the following factors into consideration:

• Operating capacity of the school as defined by Ministry of Education

• Staff a ssigned to the school

• Physical space in which instructional programs operate

• Ability ofthe school to provide  educational programs  for all its students

• The needs of other  programs located in the school

• The number  of students in the classroom

In other  words, a school may be deemed to be full even if there are fewer than the maximum allowable  number  of students in a particular  class as set out by legislation. This is especially relevant  when the district averages for certain grade levels are also set by legislation.  For

example, the average cla ss size for kindergarten students in the district cannot exceed 19.

If space and facilities are determined to be available, enrolment in educational programs in the school are offered  in the following priority order:

• catchment  area child who attended the school during the previous school year

• other catchment  area child

i. who is a sibling of a child currently enrolled in the school

ii.    child who has moved  into  the catchment  area but has not yet attended catchment sc hool)

• non-catchment child who has attended the school for three (3) consecutive years is considered to become the equivalent  of a catchment area child

• non-catchment child who attended the school during the previous school year

• non-catchment child who has a sibling already attending the school

•  non-catchment area child

• non-school district  child

A catchment area child is one that lives within the boundaries of the school area.  This area is outlined on a map at your child’s school and the School Board office.

Variances

If you wish your child to attend  a school outside of your catchment area, there are a few steps/considerations to keep in mind:

• If it is the first year that you are attempting to register your child in a school outside your catchment area, you must first register at the school inside your catchment area.  At the same time, you can request to fill out a “variance form”  that you leave with  the Principal and take a copy home.

• That variance form will be shared with the Principal of the other school and you will be put on a waiting  list.  After completion of the first week of school, the Principal of the school where you want your child to attend, will contact you and let you know if there  is available space or not.  In some cases, you may be notified prior to school starting.

• Upon approval of a variance, you do not need to register at your catchment  area school again the following year.  However, until  your child has attended  the non­ catchment area school for three consecutive  years, it is possible that he/she  could be “bumped” in order to make room for a student  who lives in the catchment area.

• If your variance request is unsuccessful, it is expected that your child remain  at their catchment area school for the entire  school year.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation with this process. Sincerely,

Stephen Petrucci

Director  of Instruction