Please see below for frequently asked question from the community regarding boundary reviews:
If you have a question that is not answered here or on the boundary review page, please contact the email provided on the review page.
How is the Boundary Review Committee selected?- A Boundary Review Committee will be established with composed of
- A non-affected Superintendent and a non-affected Trustee will jointly chair the Boundary Review Committee
- All members of the Steering Committee (for more information see School Boundary Administrative Procedure)
- Parent representatives from all affected communities
- Principals of affected schools are not on the Committee, but may be called upon to verify information as required.
What is the Boundary Review Steering Committee?- Once the Board has approved the initiation of a school boundary review, the Superintendent of the affected Family of Schools will establish the Boundary Review Steering Committee and lead the school boundary review process.
- This committee will consist of: Family of Schools Superintendent(s) of all affected areas Superintendent from a non-affected area General Manager of Planning Services Trustee(s) for all of the affected areas, including Trustee who will co-chair the Boundary Review Committee.
- As necessary, the committee may also include the following supplementary members: Superintendent of Program, Superintendent of Business Services, Superintendent of Student Services
How does Transportation work for students?- Transportation qualifications remain the same and are based on the grades students attend.
- Students in Grades JK to 8 qualify for bussing if they are more than 1.6 km from their school while those in Grades 9-12 qualify for bussing if they are more than 3.2 km from the school.
How is the final decision made?- The Halton District School Board follows the School Boundary Review Administrative Procedure for its boundary review studies. The final decision for a boundary review study is made by the Board of Trustees by a vote. There are a number of steps that a boundary review study follows.
- In general for this study: The Boundary Review Committee (BRC) reviews options and recommends a preferred option(s) and any other input to be considered and sent to the Boundary Review Steering Committee (BRSC). The BRSC considers the recommendations and other input from the BRC and can make possible revisions. The Superintendent that is responsible for the boundary review study and is a member of the BRSC writes a board report and presents the report to the Administration Council and the Director of Education. The Director of Education can make further revisions to the recommendations in the board report and then shares with the Board of Trustees for a decision. The Board of Trustees votes on the recommendations made in the board report.
Will there be legacy exemptions for existing students?- The purpose of the review is to open and populate a new school. Students entering grades K-7 will be required to change schools.
- Students entering 8th grade may receive a legacy exemption for boundary reviews to graduate from their current school.
Why are there portables at new schools?- Schools are built to accommodate students for 50+ years. New communities typically see schools having the highest enrolments in their lifespan. Building a school to meet the capacity in the first ten years will risk building a school too big for the community. Multiple schools with excess capacity can lead to future school closures or impact other communities from receiving a school in their neighbourhood.
How do we delegate the Board of Trustees?- An individual or group may request the opportunity to present a delegation to the Board of Trustees (“Board”) during the public session of a Regular, Special, or Committee of the Whole Board meeting. Please review the process for delegating the Board of Trustees.