How Catholic school registration is different
Checked October 2026
The Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) is a separate board with its own schools and its own boundaries. The age rules match the public board: Year 1 of Kindergarten in the September of the year a child turns four, Year 2 in the year they turn five, with a December 31 cut-off. Three things work differently.
Registration runs through the PowerSchool portal rather than the public board’s form. Boundaries are set by HCDSB’s own school finder. And elementary registration asks for one document the public board does not.
What to bring
- The child’s birth certificate.
- Proof of address in the parent’s or guardian’s name, such as a utility bill, a government statement, a property tax bill, or a purchase agreement.
- For Kindergarten to Grade 8, a Roman or Eastern Rite Catholic baptismal certificate for the child. If the child does not have one, the board states the child may be admitted if one parent can provide one. Exceptions are set out in the board’s Operating Policy I-22 - ask the school about your own case rather than assuming. The Grades 9 to 12 checklist lists only the birth certificate and proof of address.
- Parent or guardian photo identification. Families new to the school have to show it in person.
Common mistakes
- Using the public board’s school finder. The two boards draw different boundaries.
- Re-registering a child who is already in an HCDSB school. That step is for students new to the board.
- Assuming the portal is the whole process. The board sets two separate rules: in-person proof of parent or guardian identification is required for families new to the school, and anyone who has not uploaded the required documents has to book an appointment with their home school.
- Assuming you have missed the year because the January Kindergarten registration days have passed. Schools book appointments outside those days.
- Giving immunization records to the school. Vaccinations are reported to Halton Region Public Health, through the Immunization Connect Ontario portal or by calling 311.
How long it takes
Three steps, and only the last one depends on someone else: create the PowerSchool account, upload the documents, then book an appointment if the school needs one. Call the school early, because the appointment sets your pace. The board posts when registration for the next school year opens, and it opens later in the year than the public board’s.