Thousands of students on the move in York Region as school begins

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 4, 2017
Ali Raza

There are approximately 180,000 students in York Region going back to school this month.

Most students are split between the region’s two largest school boards: The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) and the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB).

YRDSB is the third largest school district in Ontario, with 123,000 students - 84,000 elementary and 39,000 secondary - across 177 elementary schools and 33 secondary schools.

While the board employs 12,745 people, 7,779 of those are instructional staff such as elementary and secondary teachers.

YCDSB is welcoming more than 55,000 students this September across 103 elementary and secondary schools in the region. The Catholic board employs about 5,000 instructional staff.

French Immersion is offered in both districts, with YRDSB offering the program in 30 elementary schools and YCDSB offering it in 15 elementary schools.

Once students reach high school, they can continue the program with YRDSB in seven high schools across York Region.

This year, YCDSB introduces a French Immersion program at St. Brother André Catholic High School in Markham and plans to expand the program to high schools in Aurora, Richmond Hill and Woodbridge in September 2018.

Some YCDSB students in East Gwillimbury will return to a new school facility this year after Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School was rebuilt from the old school which was constructed in 1959.

The new 57,000 square foot school also includes a child care centre with 72 licensed spaces.