THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board has two kindergarten registration nights planned for families next week.
Frank Lacaria, superintendent of education with the Catholic school board, said hopefully, families can make it out to one of the nights on their side of the city.
The first Welcome to Kindergarten open house will take place on the city’s south side at St. Martin School on Jan. 14 and the second will be held for the city’s north side at St. Bernard School on Jan. 15, both beginning at 6 p.m.
“We want to welcome our families and we believe that having these kinds of nights, Welcome to Kindergarten nights, allows them to meet principals of their potential schools and meet the partners we deal with daily,” said Lacaria.
“They have an opportunity to talk to student transportation services, which is very important. So, it just helps bring families across the city into our Thunder Bay Catholic family.”
This year, Lacaria said the board would love to see around 400 or more students enrolled.
He said everyone’s welcome at the Thunder Bay Catholic board and invites all families to come out to really take a look and listen to what they have to offer.
“They're so excited. It’s always great to see the smiles on their faces to come in and see a school and have an opportunity to get engaged with our student achievement staff,” said Lacaria.
“There are activities planned for the families that come in looking at all aspects of school: math, literacy development, religious education, French and French immersion. So, it just provides a number of opportunities.”
He said it also gives a great opportunity for families to see its programming beginning right at junior kindergarten with English, Indigenous education and French immersion, a new program offered at its St. Martin and St. Bernard’s kindergarten sites.
Lacaria added it provides a nice introduction for families to their Catholic family and programming at the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.
He said their Welcome to Kindergarten night is really the first step of the process.
“It provides another door opener, if you will, for families that are really looking into different schools to really then go to their… neighbourhood school, if you will, and go in and register right there and then with the principal and the kindergarten team on that night as well. So Welcome to Kindergarten opens the door,” said Lacaria.
The Catholic school board has several ways to register, including through the registration nights, any time online or by calling the schools parents wish their children to attend.
“They can start immediately,” added Lacaria.
The board will hold another registration night from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at all its school sites for kindergarten to Grade 6 on Feb. 6.
Lacaria said the board hopes parents come out across the city to both events to really get a good feel for the schools, school environments, staff and teams and "really what Thunder Bay Catholic has to offer families."
