Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can I contact if I have a question?

When does school start and end? When are PA Days?

School start and dismissal times are individual. Contact your child's school or visit their website for more information. All Professional Activity days are posted on our School Year Calendar.

Which school is the best one for my child?

Students are expected to attend their neighbourhood school as determined by the board's official school boundaries. To find out what school your child should attend, visit the Schools webpage. You can also contact Planning & Accommodation Support Services at 905-890-1010 (1-800-668-1146) ext. 2212.

We have many excellent schools in the Peel District School Board. If you are making the decision about what area to move to, we would suggest you consider the type of community or neighbourhood that would best meet your family's entire needs. Once you have identified two or three possible communities within Peel that meet your needs, then look at the schools for each area. Contacting each school directly for more information about what they offer will give you more information on which to base your final decision. Consider booking a tour/school visit.

When you contact the school, you may want to ask for their school success plan and parent handbook.

What school will my child attend?

To find out which school your child will attend, visit our Schools section. You can also contact Planning & Accommodation Support Services at 905-890-1010 (1-800-668-1146) ext. 2212.

How do I register my child for school?

Visit our Register Your Child page to find out who can attend, where to register and what you’ll need to bring with you.

I just moved from another country. How do I register my child for school?

The Peel board's We Welcome the World Centres provide a range of services to help make the transition to school a smooth one for newcomer students and their families. Multilingual staff are available to help with academic assessments, registration, settlement services and parent institutes in many languages. Parents can also learn about adult education opportunities. For more information, call 905-366-8791.

The centres are funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and are located at:

25 Kings Cross Road, Brampton
3131 Morning Star Drive, Mississauga (Malton)
100 Elm Drive West, Mississauga

Does the Peel board accept international student Visa holders?

Elementary and high school programs are available for international student Visa holders. For more information, call 905-890-1010 ext. 2628 or visit www.studyincanada-peel.ca.

Where can I find out my child’s busing information?

To find out busing information for your child, visit Student Transportation of Peel Region. You can also reach our Transportation department at 905-890-6000 (or 1-800-668-1140).

Where do I find out if schools are closed or buses are cancelled due to bad weather?

More information about school and bus closure or cancellation due to weather can be found in our cold weather guidelines.

What programs does the Peel board offer?

The Peel board offers a variety of programs for students. To find out more about programs of choice, our kindergarten program, French immersion, Specialist High Skills Major, Co-operative Education, International Languages, etc., visit our Programs section.

Where can I find out about kindergarten?

Find out more information about kindergarten on the kindergarten program page.

How do I get a copy of my high school transcript?

Contact the last high school you attended, as schools keep student transcripts for 55 years. If the high school you attended no longer exists, contact School Support Services at 905-890-1010 (or 1-800-668-1146) ext. 2640.

What is the board’s discipline policy?

Learn more about our discipline policy in our Safe & Caring Schools section.

Where can I find the board’s bullying prevention plan?

Learn more about our bullying prevention and intervention plan in our Safe & Caring Schools section.

My child is in a combined grade/split classroom? How will his learning be affected?

Combined grade classes are not new—they have always been a common part of the school experience. Review our fact sheet, designed to help you understand how this type of classroom works and answer questions you may have. You can also talk to your child’s teacher or principal, visit the Ministry of Education’s website or call the Peel board’s Curriculum and Instruction department at 905-890-1010 (or 1-800-668-1146).

If my child is going to be absent from school, what is required?

If a student is under 18, a parent/guardian must call the school or provide a note (when returning) regarding the reason and length of time for being absent. If over 18, a student must notify the school or provide a note about the reason and length of time for being absent.

Does the board offer preschool?

The Peel board offers preschool learning at our Early Years Hubs & Readiness.

How do I enrol my teen in summer school?

Summer school is offered through the Continuing Education department of the Peel board. For more information, click here or call 905-270-6000 ext. 207. You may also talk to the guidance counsellor at your school for direction.

Does the Peel board offer courses for adults?

Courses for adults are offered through our Adult Education department. For more information, call 905-270-6000 ext. 5 or visit the Adult Education section of our website.

I'm looking to improve my English skills, does the Peel board offer related courses for adults?

The Peel board offers English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for newcomers to Canada whose first language (or mother tongue) is not English. The goal is to strengthen listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. For more information, visit Adult Education or contact them at 905-270-6000 ext. 5.

Does the board offer parenting classes?

Peel's three Parenting and Family Literacy Centres invite parents to spend time in a classroom with their young children. The centres help prepare children from babies up to six years of age for school and encourage families to be a part of their children’s learning.

How can I apply for a job with the Peel board?

All available jobs are posted in the Jobs section.

I can’t connect to the VIP Job Board. Where can I get help?

For technical help accessing the VIP Job Board, please contact the Help Desk of our Learning Technologies department, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Call 905-890-1010 (or 1-800-668-1146) ext. 4357. Someone from the Help Desk will respond to your technical issue directly.

If you have questions related to the board's hiring process, please contact Human Resources Support Services at 905-890-1010 (or 1-800-668-1146) ext. 2400.

What are Teacher Performance Appraisals?

The Teacher Performance Appraisal System provides teachers with meaningful appraisals that encourage professional learning and growth to help support student success. Learn more [link to http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/appraise.html]

Does the board have an accessibility plan?

Yes. The board’s Annual Accessibility Plan helps accommodate persons with disabilities.

Does the board rent school space?

Find out how to rent school space in our About us section.

What is the board’s Partnership policy?

The boards Partnerships/Fundraising policy states that to provide a general framework within which schools and community businesses and agencies might confidently negotiate particular agreements, the Board subscribes to the following ethical guidelines from The Conference Board of Canada.

Partnerships are supported which:

enhance the quality and relevance of education for learners
mutually benefit all partners
treat fairly and equitably all those served by the partnership
provide opportunities for all partners to meet their shared social responsibilities toward education
acknowledge and celebrate each partner's contributions through appropriate forms of recognition
are consistent with the ethics and core values of all partners
are based on the clearly defined expectations of all partners
are based on shared or aligned objectives that support the goals of the partner organizations
allocate resources to complement and not replace public funding for education
measure and evaluate partnership performance to make informed decisions that ensure continuous improvement
are developed and structured in consultation with all partners
recognize and respect each partner's expertise
identify clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all partners
involve individual participants on a voluntary basis

I’d like to partner with the school to run a fundraising program. What do I do?

The principles which are outlined below are intended to provide guidance to schools in the area of acquiring resources from non-Peel board sources. These may be financial, human or material in nature. See the board’s Partnerships/Fundraising policy for more information.

Prior approval is required by the principal for fundraising activities within the school community, and by the Superintendent of Education for activities beyond the school community. Partnerships above $50,000 annually and any region-wide agreements or campaigns for funds by outside organizations require the approval of senior administration.

Arrangements are supported which:

reflect a philosophy of support and assistance to schools and students
are consistent with Peel District School Board values
include consultation with the local school community
are legal, ethical, and benefit students (example: no tobacco or alcohol products)
are subject to the discretion of principal and staff in the use of donated materials, resources and services
do not require students to listen to or read commercial advertisements (i.e. avoids commercialization)
are subject to normal audit process and system accountability
involve specified time frames and include a regular review of arrangements
involve co-operative (consortium) efforts to achieve maximum commercial advantage (e.g.. multi-school and multi-board) wherever possible
allow for recognition by board and school, including display of corporate symbols where acceptable and appropriate
involve widespread sharing of best practice, expertise and creative ideas to achieve maximum benefits to the system
do not require direct endorsement of products or services