HDSB Welcome Centre

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HDSB Welcome Centre

2,215 New students welcomed during the 2023-2024 school year.

18,798 Total number of students who have been welcomed.

The Halton District School Board (HDSB) Welcome Centre supports new or returning families to the Regional Municipality of Halton Ontario in Canada. The Welcome Centre also supports International Students (visiting students) and their families through the International Students Program (ISP).

HDSB Welcome Centre Services

Registration
Assessment
Settlement Support

Registration Process

Step 1

Check where you should begin your registration process (at your home school or at the HDSB Welcome Centre).

Where Do I Register My Child?

Step 2

The following documents are required to complete registration at your appointment. These include:

Proof of child’s age: (any one of the following documents):

Birth Certificate
Baptismal Record
Canadian Passport
Canadian Citizenship Card or Certificate
Record of Landing (IMM 1000)
Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292)
Permanent Residence Card
Consideration of Eligibility (IMM 1442)
Acknowledgement of Refugee Claim (IMM 1442) or Notice of Decision letter for refugee claimants
Convention Refugee Determination Division Letter
Temporary Resident Permit
Registered Indian Status or
Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS)

Proof of address may be obtained from any two current documents, which must:

show the home address for the student living with the parent(s)/guardian(s);
contain at least one parent/guardian’s name;
be an original. Copies will not be accepted.

Examples include:

Property tax bill/MPAC notice of assessment (must be current - within the past year);
Purchase and sale agreement, including proof of purchase and closing date, provided before the student attends school (must be current - within the past year);
Bank statement/financial letter from a Canadian Financial Institution. The document must be stamped by the financial institution (financial details can be obscured and must be current - within two months);
Any CRA document (i.e., Notice of Assessment, Canada Child Benefit, Goods and Services tax/Harmonized sales tax (GST/HST credit), Housing Benefits (must be current - within the past year);
Utility bill/e-bill (i.e., hydro, gas, water, residential phone, cable, internet, insurance policy-home, rental or auto)(must be current - within two months) - only one from this category can be used;
Other official Provincial or Federal government documents that include parent(s)/guardian(s) names and address (must be current – within the past year);
Official Ontario Residential Tenancy Agreement (not one that is hand-made by the landlord) that is current to the end of the upcoming school year; Registration and Admission of Students Administrative Procedure

Documents which are not acceptable include:

Driver’s License, Vehicle Ownership (green card) and Vehicle Lease
Health Card
Credit Card Statement
Cell Phone bill/e-bill

Proof of child’s citizenship: birth certificate or passport, Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Permanent Resident Card

Proof of parent/guardian's citizenship/immigration status: Passport, citizenship card, PR cards or records of landing, refugee documents, study or work permits

Proof of custody: if you are not the parent and your child is under 18 you must provide proof of custody (court order)

Proof of immunization: For a child to attend school, parents and legal guardians must report required immunizations to Halton Region Public Health or submit a valid vaccine exemption. Visit Halton Region’s Report Your Immunizations webpage to view or report immunization records.

Step 3

Once it’s determined that you should start at the Welcome Centre, complete the following intake form.

Welcome Centre Online Registration

Step 4

After we receive your submission of the Welcome Centre Intake Form for Registration, you will hear from someone on our team through email. We are currently experiencing a larger than usual registration volume, please be patient while our team works through each submission and contacts families.

Welcome Centre Registration | Helpful Information

Who comes to the HDSB Welcome Centre?

Students from Grade 1 to age 21 must register through the Welcome Centre if any of the following apply:

Those entering with a Work Permit or a Study Permit (student and/or parent/guardian holds the permit)
Those entering as a Refugee
Those entering HDSB with their Permanent Residence Status application in progress
Those entering from a French language school in a French language school board (if first language is not English)
All Grade 9 - 12 students entering the Ontario school system for the first time whose first language is not English
All Grade 9 - 12 students reentering Ontario after an absence of a year or more (if first language is not English)

What happens at the Welcome Centre?

What to expect when registering at the Welcome Centre

The Welcome Centre offers the following three areas of service:

1. Registration

This is when we collect all of the necessary documents to complete the registration process. See “what to bring” for a list of these documents.
Students will be registered at the appropriate homeschool once the review of the registration documents is completed.
Registration documents are usually collected through electronic communication with our registration team. If families need support with this process, please contact us at welcomecentre@hdsb.ca or 905-335-3665 ext. 3440.

2. Assessment

During the assessment session, your family is interviewed to discuss your child’s school history, interests and goals.
Your childs’ English proficiency and mathematics skills will be assessed.
Results of your child’s English proficiency assessment and Math assessment will be shared with you, your child and the team at your child’s new school.

3. Orientation (if requested)

Meet with a member of our settlement team to assist with a smooth transition to school and life in Halton.
Learn about the education system in Ontario.
Ask questions about how to best support your child’s transition to life and schooling in Halton.

How long is the assessment?

Assessments are scheduled in advance with families to take place at the Welcome Centre. The purpose of the assessment is to take a snapshot of the student's English language proficiency and prior learning of mathematics. This information is then shared with school staff with the intention to support the child's transition to school.

Secondary Assessment - Gr. 9-12
1 to 2 hours

Where is the HDSB Welcome Centre?

The HDSB Welcome Centre is located inside Gary Allan High School in Milton.

215 Ontario Street South
Milton, ON
L9T 4N5
Get Directions

When visiting via Milton Transit - take bus #5 or #8. Follow the driveway to the left and around the north side of the building and use the Building A1 Entrance.

The Welcome Centre south location is inside Makwendam P.S.

565 Woodview Rd
Burlington, ON
L7N 2Z9
Get Directions

Please enter through the side door on the East side of the building (parking towards the end of the parking lot near Sweetgrass park)

Who’s who at the Welcome Centre?

Role of the Assessor

At the Welcome Centre, students from Grades 9 to 12 will have their English language and mathematics skills assessed. This assessment will help schools offer students the supports needed as they begin studying in the Halton District School Board.

During the assessment appointment the assessor will:

Conduct a family interview to discuss and document the student’s history, interests and goals
Assess the student’s English language proficiency and math skills Share the assessment results

After the assessment the assessor will create an electronic learner profile for the student and make recommendations for academic programming. For secondary students the assessor will also make a recommendation for school placement.

Role of the Community Connections Specialist

The Community Connections Specialist works with schools, parents and community partners in specified communities to develop school community activities and projects which address the needs of students, families and schools in those communities. These activities and projects will support school and system initiatives relating to community outreach and parent engagement, equity and inclusive education, literacy, numeracy, tutoring/mentoring, and interventions for students at risk.

Work with the Welcome Centre team to provide settlement/community based support to Newcomer families to Halton.

Support system level settlement related projects and initiatives
Consult with and provide settlement expertise to HDSB staff members
Provide ad hoc interpretation support

Support newcomer families with students attending HDSB in their transition to the Ontario School System (including but not limited to their social, emotional, and academic transition).

Provide one on one in school settlement support including; case management, school and community based referrals, advocacy, etc.
Support in coordination of in school Information Sessions for Newcomer families
Attend staff meetings

Work closely with community partners to connect families, their schools and their communities.

Network and build relationships with Halton based community agencies
Support schools by maintaining a network of local agencies, parents and school representatives

Virtual Newcomer Mentor Hub

A platform for elementary students in grades 5-8 to connect with a high school mentor and share experiences
Meet other students new to the Halton District School Board, learn about school culture, and talk about settling in Ontario

Virtual Newcomer Experience Series

Hear from former students who have graduated from HDSB
Learn about the importance of getting involved in the school community, college/university pathways, and perseverance

Virtual High School Student Hangout

Connect with other students who attend the same school, speak the same language, have similar hobbies/interests
Discover volunteer opportunities, build leadership skills, and ways to contribute or get involved in the community

To register, please contact:

Dunja Cajko, HDSB

Community Connections Specialist

Role of Program Lead, K-12 Settlement Services

oversees the orientation and settlement processes.

Role of Youth Settlement Specialist (YSS) in Schools

In partnership with HMC Connections (HMC), the Welcome Centre supports student and family engagement through the support of Youth Settlement Specialists (YSS) at the Welcome Centre and in schools.

YSS support schools in the following ways:

Stationary support - YSS will be physically available to work with families (one on one) for a specific period of time each day/week.
Assigned support - Assigned YSS will support the school on an as needed basis. Families will need to make an appointment with the YSS based on mutual availability
Itinerant support - Schools will contact their Regional Lead to connect a family with YSS support.

It is important to note that YSS are not Guidance Counsellors, Interpreters, Child and Youth Counsellors nor Social Workers.

Welcome Centre (HDSB YSS only)

Orient and inform families new to Halton of the HDSB system, routines and expectations
Collaborate with the Welcome Centre Academic Assessor(s) and Welcome Centre Social Worker to support student transition into school and the community
Provide language support during the registration and assessment process
Identify any settlement needs for incoming families and refer families to resources and support within the Halton community

Role of Welcome Centre System Principal

Oversees the assessment, orientation and settlement process, as well as the transition process from the Welcome Centre to home schools for all student registrations
Oversees the International Student Program
Supports school administrators to ensure a smooth transition for students entering their schools as new students to the community.

Resources for Families New to Halton

Resources and partnerships to help you make a smooth transition into Halton:

Halton Multicultural Council

Halton Multicultural Council has partnered with Halton District School Board to develop the Youth Settlement Program for newcomer families funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Youth Settlement Workers help newcomer families interact with schools to maximize parental involvement, and student success; provide interpretation and translation services and connect families with useful community services that help students and their parents transition into the community and schools.

To book a meeting with a Youth Settlement Worker contact:

Oriana Jones

Program Lead, Newcomer Youth Settlement (K-12)
905-335-3665, ext. 3446

Settlement Org

Settlement Org gives newcomers information and resources to settle in Ontario, Canada. It provides accurate, reliable and timely content; links to sites with reliable information; and referrals to local services. Settlement.Org hosts an electronic community where newcomers get information, news, can ask questions and share experiences, and access a database of community organizations.

Halton Newcomer Strategy

Halton Newcomer Strategy "is an advocacy team that engages the community to help eliminate barriers for newcomers to Halton. " The organization is funded by the Government of Canada through the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and works towards ensuring that Halton Region is an inclusive and supportive community in which newcomers can thrive.

They offer a variety of services and resource for newcomers throughout Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.

Additional Resources

Welcome Centre Library Catalogue AV2 World Languages eBook Collection

Important information about education in Ontario available in many languages:

Welcome Centre Staff List

HDSB Welcome Centre Team 2023-2024

Contact HDSB Welcome Centre

Name	Role
Bita Watts	System Principal, International Student Program & Welcome Centre
Oriana Jones	Program Lead, Youth Settlement (K-12)
Moxda Yajnik-Harlos	Supervisor, International Student Program & Welcome Centre
Ellen Zhou	9 -12 Language and Math Academic Assessor
Alaeric Sutherland	ISP Student Success Academic Advisor
Sakshi Verma	Senior Administrative Assistant (WC)
Vic Maund	Administrative Assistant (ISP)
Dezerai Sonoda	Administrative Assistant (WC)
Anjum Khan	Administrative Assistant (WC, half-time)
Stephanie Trotter	Library Technician, Itinerant
Elaine Fung	Social Worker
Dunja Cajko	Community Connections Specialist
Yunhong Bi	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Helen (Ju Qin) Cheng	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Naela Ibrahim	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Zebun Khan	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Sahar Said	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Anna (Ganna) Vizhevska	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist
Saima Wahid	HDSB Youth Settlement Specialist

Contact the HDSB Welcome Centre

Families new or returning to Halton are invited to connect with us.

welcomecentre@hdsb.ca
905-335-3665, ext. 3440
Follow us on X @HDSBWelcome

Pour des services d’établissement en français et/ou la formation linguistique en français, veuillez contacter : Nouveaux arrivants : Trouvez des services gratuits près de chez vous (canada.ca)

If you wish to access French language training and/or French settlement services, please contact: Find free newcomer services near you (canada.ca)

Board Office

Halton District School Board
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

Numbers

Phone: 905-335-3663
Fax:

Links

Email Us

HDSB Wel​come Centre

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​HDSB Welcome Centre​​

HDSB Welcome Centre Services

Registration Assessment Settlement S​upport​​

Step 1

Check where you should begin your registration process (at your home school or at the HDSB Welcome Centre).

Where Do I Register My Child?

The following documents are required to complete registration at your appointment. These include:

Once it’s determined that you should start at the Welcome Centre, complete the following intake form.​

Welcome Centre Online Registration​​​

​Step 4

After we receive your submission of the Welcome Centre Intake Form for Registration, you will hear from someone on our team through email. We are currently experiencing a larger than usual registration volume, please be patient while our team works through each submission and contacts families.

Welcome Centre Registration | Helpful Information​

Students from Grade 1 to age 21 must register through the Welcome Centre if any of the foll​owing apply:

What to expect when registering at the Welcome Centre

The Welcome Centre offers the following three areas of service:

​​1. Registration

3. Orientation (if requested)

​Secondary Assessment - Gr. 9-121​ to 2 hours​

The HDSB Welcome Centre is located inside Gary Allan High School in Milton.​

The Welcome Centre south location is inside Makwendam P.S.​​

Who’s who at the Welcome Centre?​​​

​​Work with the Welcome Centre team to provide settlement/community based support to Newcomer families to Halton.​

​​Support newcomer families with students attending HDSB in their transition to the Ontario School System (including but not limited to their social, emotional, and academic transition). ​​​

Work closely with community partners to connect families, their schools and their communities.

Virtual Newcomer Mento​​​r Hub​

Virtual Newcomer Experience Series

Virtual High School Student Hangout

​Dunja Cajko, HDSB ​

YSS support schools in the following ways:

Welcome Centre (HDSB YSS only) ​​

Halton Multicultural Council

Oriana Jones

Settlement Org

Halton Newcomer Strategy

​Additional Resources

​HDSB Welcome Centre Team 2023-2024

Contact the HDSB Welcome Centre

HDSB Welcome Centre

HDSB Welcome Centre

Registration
Assessment
Settlement Support

Once it’s determined that you should start at the Welcome Centre, complete the following intake form.

Welcome Centre Online Registration

Step 4

Welcome Centre Registration | Helpful Information

Students from Grade 1 to age 21 must register through the Welcome Centre if any of the following apply:

1. Registration

Secondary Assessment - Gr. 9-12
1 to 2 hours

The HDSB Welcome Centre is located inside Gary Allan High School in Milton.

The Welcome Centre south location is inside Makwendam P.S.

Who’s who at the Welcome Centre?

Work with the Welcome Centre team to provide settlement/community based support to Newcomer families to Halton.

Support newcomer families with students attending HDSB in their transition to the Ontario School System (including but not limited to their social, emotional, and academic transition).

Virtual Newcomer Mentor Hub

Dunja Cajko, HDSB

Welcome Centre (HDSB YSS only)

Additional Resources

HDSB Welcome Centre Team 2023-2024