Are you looking into your education options for the upcoming year? Have you considered a Catholic institution? Have you heard of HWCDSB?
It's a long acronym, but HWCDSB simply stands for Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. Started in 1852, the HWCDSB became an establishment for children seeking education programs for Catholic children.
Today, it's much more.
With a variety of educational programs, the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board is supporting young children, teenagers, and adults.
The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) consists of several Catholic schools throughout the Hamilton-Wentworth area. All of these schools work together to care for the student population in these areas.
The mission of Catholic education at these institutions is to enable all learners to realize the fullness of humanity. They believe in starting the learning process at home and enhancing further learning through the school community.
The HWCDSB works to handle education appropriately while keeping a challenging environment.
With this, these schools work to care for their students' mental health and wellbeing. They believe that students should feel safe, confident, and included. And, they also focus on age-appropriate guidance for sensitive topics like COVID-19.
So, the school district provides multiple mental health resources as well as a summer social work program that provides support to students when they're out of school.
The school board also supports parents in supporting students. By involving parents in their students' education, HWCDSB is ensuring that students feel supported by adults all around them.
This leads to better outcomes in the long run.
And it ensures that students don't become overworked during the school year. The balance between school and life is important.
HWCDSB Registration
In order to attend one of these schools, you have to register as a student.
Because HWCDSB is different than traditional schools, you have to go through an application process and a visit. These help the staff determine where your students fit best within the school. Plus, it gives the staff a chance to get to know your student before he/she starts classes.
Depending on your current education status, you need to follow certain steps to ensure that you can attend one of these schools. Whether you're applying for a child or yourself, the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic School Board wants to make the registration process easy.
And there are plenty of options for your schooling wants and needs.
Kindergarten
Registering your child for Kindergarten is one of the most important milestones in their life. It's a huge step towards the rest of their lives.
And if you're looking to pick a quality school, one within the Hamilton-Wentworth district is a great choice.
The Kindergarten programs in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District work to recognize each student's individuality. By looking at their unique qualities, the school is able to support these students.
From there, each child can work towards their fullest potential.
In order to enroll in Kindergarten, your child must turn four years old by the 31st of December in the year that you want them to start.
Before you start with the actual registration process, you need to fill out a Pre-School History Form. This will give the staff and faculty some more information about your child's life prior to starting school. From there, your child's teachers can gear their education more towards their needs.
Once you locate the school that your child will attend, you should create a parent account using an HWCDSB login. Then, you can complete the Elementary Online Registration Form and make an appointment.
Once the school confirms your registration, you will receive a Welcome to Kindergarten folder with more information about the programs and services that the school offers. This may even include a French immersion program.
Elementary
The HWCDSB accepts students who are just beginning school as well as those who are transferring. Either way, you can enroll your child in school similarly.
First, you should locate the home school that your child is going to be a part of. Then, you can create an HWCDSB login via the online registration portal.
After this, you can complete and submit the Elementary Online Registration Form. Be sure to complete the correct one for the school year that you want to enroll your child in. Once the school reviews your registration form, you can make an appointment with the school.
The school will send an email so that you can pick an appointment that's convenient for you. We also recommend reviewing the registration checklist to ensure that you're ready for everything that's about to happen.
Just like Kindergarten enrollment, you'll receive information regarding the school's programs.
Secondary
Secondary education takes learning a step forward for your students. They're almost done with their formal education, and it's important to make sure that they attend a great school so that they can have a greater wealth of options later.
Whether your student is transferring into the system or continuing on, you should make sure to follow the standard steps.
First, make sure that you know which school your child is going to attend. Then, create a parent account via the HWCDSB online registration portal.
From there, you can complete the Secondary Online Registration Form. After reviewing this form, the school will send an invitation for a registration appointment.
The HWCDSB also encourages students to follow their passions via the Pathways to Success. By reviewing their interests, opportunities, and callings, the school and your child can work together to determine the next steps best suited for them.
Adult and Continuing Education
The adult and continuing school programs are located at St. Charles. This school is within the HWCDSB, but it's the only school that offers these programs:
- English Language Instruction
- Academic Upgrading
- High School Credits
- Employment Training
- General Interest Classes
Those who are interested in these classes should make an HWCDSB login through St. Charles. From there, you can let them know what kind of classes you're interested in as well as when you'd like to begin.
Summer / Night School
St. Charles is also the only school that offers summer and night school registration. These programs are great for individuals who need to catch up during the summer or have regular work during the day.
If you're interested in one of these opportunities, you should alert St. Charles. They can match you up with the right opportunities that can help you meet your goals.
International Students
If you're wanting to attend the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board as an international student, there are a few guidelines that you must keep in mind.
First, you must submit all applications to the Assessment Office at the Catholic Education Centre. This is where our staff will process your application.
We place international students into the correct grade according to the guidelines that the Ministry of Education of Ontario has placed. We'll place students into HWCDSB schools based on the availability of space.
You should also be aware of whether or not you're required to pay fees.
An international fee-paying student is a student who comes to Canada for the purpose of studying full-time. These students should also possess a valid study permit from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
As the name implies, international fee-paying students must pay tuition fees upon admission to the HWCDSB.
Students who are planning to extend their current study permit should complete the study permit extension letter request form. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada requires that these students submit the form three months prior to the expiration date of their study permit.
If you submit the form later, there's no guarantee that the request will successfully go through.
We also recommend preparing financially for your move to Canada.
HWCDSB e-Learning
e-Learning is a new form of education that takes place online. It's supported by the Ministry of Education and may help particular students succeed better in school. You can log into the system online.
e-Learning comes in many forms, but it mainly incorporates the use of a computer to enhance the learning process. Students in an e-learning program use their computers to access information, look through their courses, and use educational tools.
With all of this computer-based learning, students can develop skills and knowledge in all kinds of subject areas.
e-Learning can be just as valuable as other kinds of educational platforms. In fact, the learning process can be just as fulfilling as in-person learning.
e-Learning offers a unique learning process that helps students comprehend and master new skills and knowledge just as they would in a traditional classroom.
As a part of the HWCDSB, e-Learning offers courses that meet all Catholic curriculum expectations and standards. Only fully qualified teachers teach these classes, so students can be confident in the learning process.
And these teachers work in collaboration with e-Learning Ontario. This means that these teachers know how to navigate an online classroom without difficulty.
You can access the e-Learning platform online to learn more.
Who Is A Good Candidate for e-Learning?
Although e-Learning is great for many learners, it's not for everyone. There are a few things you should consider before signing up.
First, you should make sure that the student can use the computer well. Can he/she access a web browser and click through pages to find what they need?
You should also consider an Internet connection. You should make sure that the student has regular access to reliable Internet. This could be at home or at a local library.
If you or your child are considering online learning at home, you should go ahead and get your office organized.
The student should also be able to manage their time well and hand in assignments on time. Many online classes are self-paced, and teachers expect that students can motivate themselves to do the work that they require.
If your student meets all of these criteria, he/she will likely do well in the e-Learning program. If you're unsure about how your student may do in an e-Learning program, you should speak with a guidance counsellor.
HWCDSB Parent Portal
On the HWCDSB parent portal, you can do a lot. Here are just a few of the actions you can take by logging into the parent portal:
- Access the e-Learning site for your school
- Get technical support for virtual learning
- Access resources for student mental health and wellbeing
- Report your child's absence
- Access the myClass tool to stay connected to your child's learning
- Transfer funds to your child's school
- Register your child for any kind of program
- Access Hamilton-Wentworth student transportation services
- Review special education information
And, that's just the shortlist.
The HWCDSB Parents page is the hub for anything and everything that parents need. Even better, the layout and navigation functions make it easy to go from one page to another.
So, you'll be able to find everything you need quickly.
How Can Parents Get Involved?
If you're looking to do more than keep up with your child's education through the parent portal, there are plenty of options. You could join one of the committees or even consider a spot on the school board.
If you don't have much time to give, you could also donate to these schools.
The money goes directly towards helping children throughout the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. So, you'll be able to see any kind of involvement you have, whether it's through the parent portal, a committee, or a monetary donation.
At Insurdinary, We Have Kids, Too!
Where you choose to go to school is important. At Insurdinary, we have kids, too. We know how important your choices are and we know how they can impact their future.
Whether you decide to move forward with HWCDSB or another school district, we're here to support you. During these unprecedented times, we all have to stick together.
That's why we recommend that you check out the rest of our blog. We're here to help you make the best finance-related and insurance-related choices. And, we'll be here for you and the rest of your family for years to come.
