The second half of the school year has barely started, but Peel District School Board families in Mississauga already have a busy stretch of deadlines ahead.

The board laid out the dates in its monthly update to families on Jan. 8, opened by director of education Rashmi Swarup with a look back at student achievements from the fall, including Lorne Park Secondary School student Kalia Pharand's commitment to play Division I hockey at Clarkson University.

Choosing next year's courses

Course selection for students now in Grade 9 or higher runs from Tuesday, Jan. 13 to Feb. 26. Current Grade 8 students choose their Grade 9 courses from Jan. 22 to Feb. 24.

The board is holding information sessions to help families plan. Sessions for families of Black students are on Jan. 14, at 5 p.m. for grades 7 and 8 and at 6:30 p.m. for Grade 9 and up. Webinars for all families follow on Jan. 21 at the same times.

Program applications

  • French Immersion and Extended French: applications for Grade 1 French Immersion and Grade 7 Extended French in September 2026 are open and close Jan. 30 at 11:59 p.m.

  • Elementary Regional Learning Choices Programs: applications for students now in grades 4 and 5 open Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m. and close Feb. 6 at 11:59 p.m.

  • High Performers Program: an information session for grades 4 to 8 is on Jan. 28 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Dolphin Senior Public School, 18 Brookside Dr. The program adjusts timetables for students in intensive sports or arts training.

Kindergarten registration

Registration is open for children born in 2022 who will start kindergarten in the fall. The board is holding an in-person session on Jan. 29 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the HJA Brown Education Centre, 5650 Hurontario St., for families of children with developmental disabilities, autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, physical disabilities, hearing or vision loss, or complex medical needs. A virtual session on the kindergarten program, transportation and child care follows on Feb. 4 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Other dates

Campaigns for the 2026-27 student trustee elections run from Jan. 22 to Feb. 10. The next public board meeting is Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.

The update also reminded families that every student needs 40 hours of community involvement to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, and pointed to new provincial guidance on how students can describe volunteer work on job and postsecondary applications.

Separately, the Peel Learning Foundation's Hopeful Tomorrows campaign, which buys food, clothing, hygiene products and school supplies for students in need, was about 75 per cent of the way to its $300,000 goal, the board said.