York Catholic District School Board secondary schools, including several serving Markham and Thornhill, are holding open houses this fall so Grade 8 students and their families can tour buildings, meet staff and prepare for the move to high school.
The board says the events are aimed at helping students feel confident about entering Grade 9. Families are invited to attend the open house at their local YCDSB secondary school, or at a school offering a specialty program that interests them, according to a YCDSB announcement.
At each open house, attendees can meet teachers, administrators and student leaders while learning about academic programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, daily routines and extracurricular opportunities.
Sessions will also cover the registration process, including key dates, deadlines and required documents. The same information is posted on the board's admissions webpage.
Markham-area schools among those capped
Families should note that demand for York Catholic secondary education is high, and many schools and specialty programs have limited enrolment, the board says.
In particular, St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham, St. Robert CHS in Thornhill and St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS in Richmond Hill are capped schools that do not accept students from outside their catchment areas.
Under provincial open access policies, any student living in York Region can register at a YCDSB secondary school, though capped schools are the exception when it comes to out-of-catchment applications.
The board's School Locator tool shows which secondary school serves each neighbourhood, and its website lists the specialty programs available and the schools that offer them.
Students in grades 6 to 8 who live in Georgina and Whitchurch-Stouffville are also welcome at open houses at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Academy in Keswick and St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Secondary School in Stouffville, since both schools run from grades 7 to 12.
Full open house dates for each school, including those in Markham and Thornhill, are listed on the YCDSB website.
