OCDSB Expands Sibling Exemptions in Central-West School Boundary Proposals
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has updated its boundary review proposals for six elementary schools in Ottawa’s west-central sector to better support family unity. Following community feedback during a public meeting on May 6, the board revised its legacy sibling provisions. The initial plan allowed younger siblings to remain at the same school only if they entered junior kindergarten by September 2027, with others requiring difficult cross-boundary transfers. In response to parental concerns about the complexity of transfers, the updated proposal released on May 8 grants permission for all younger siblings to attend the same school as their older siblings, regardless of age, provided the family remains within the original catchment area. The affected schools include Churchill Alternative, Hilson Avenue, Broadview Avenue, Fisher Park/Summit Alternative, Elmdale, and Woodroffe Avenue. No schools are being closed, but boundaries will shift, and Early French immersion will be introduced at Churchill and Hilson Avenue to balance enrolment. The OCDSB is currently reviewing survey responses and aims to release a final proposal by the end of May, ensuring long-term stability after previous widespread boundary changes were scrapped in 2024.
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OCDSB Expands Sibling Exemptions in Central-West School Boundary Proposals
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has updated its boundary review proposals for six elementary schools in Ottawa’s west-central sector to better support family unity. Following community feedback during a public meeting on May 6, the board revised its legacy sibling provisions. The initial plan allowed younger siblings to remain at the same school only if they entered junior kindergarten by September 2027, with others requiring difficult cross-boundary transfers. In response to parental concerns about the complexity of transfers, the updated proposal released on May 8 grants permission for all younger siblings to attend the same school as their older siblings, regardless of age, provided the family remains within the original catchment area. The affected schools include Churchill Alternative, Hilson Avenue, Broadview Avenue, Fisher Park/Summit Alternative, Elmdale, and Woodroffe Avenue. No schools are being closed, but boundaries will shift, and Early French immersion will be introduced at Churchill and Hilson Avenue to balance enrolment. The OCDSB is currently reviewing survey responses and aims to release a final proposal by the end of May, ensuring long-term stability after previous widespread boundary changes were scrapped in 2024.
Ottawa Citizen