School of Choice Procedures and Guidelines

Important Definitions:

School of Choice is defined as the ability of a pupil to select, for attendance purposes, a school other than their assigned catchment area school. 

Home school or sending school is defined as the school where the pupil would be expected to be registered, as they reside in this school's catchment area.  An eligible pupil is defined as a pupil who is five (5) years of age or older on December 31 of the school year of attendance and a resident of Manitoba. 

Program Not Offered – A student who does not live within the boundaries of Brandon School Division and is requesting either French Immersion Programing (Kindergarten – Grade 12) or Vocational Programming (Grade 9-12) at a BSD school. Please contact the school directly if you are interested in one of these programs. The school can provide the Program Not Offered form which must be completed (with approval from the sending division) prior to registration. 

How do I qualify?
If your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) reside in Brandon, and you are a student entering Grade K-8, you are eligible to make application for School of Choice.

School of Choice is not applicable at the Grade 9 - 12 schools, as there are no catchment boundaries for Grade 9 - 12. Check with the Brandon School Division Office. They will advise you of course and space availability at the Division high schools.

Applying to a School of Choice:  Download the official School of Choice application form.

Once completed, return the application form to your School of Choice on or before May 15 to be eligible for consideration to attend that school for the next fall term. A school is under no legislated obligation to consider applications received after May 15.

What Happens Next?   The school to which application has been made will advise the pupil's parent(s)/legal guardian(s) by June 30, whether or not that pupil has been accepted for the upcoming fall term.
The sending school will also be informed of the decision.  It is preferred that parent/guardian goes to their home school to fill out application form.  If this is not possible, go to the link below, fill out the appropriate form and take the completed forms to the receiving school (your school of choice) for appropriate distribution.

Can I Appeal The Decision?  Yes, a School of Choice denial may be appealed by the parent(s)/guardian(s) in writing to:

Brandon School Division Administration Office
Attention:  Office of the Superintendent
1031 - 6th Street, Brandon, MB  R7A 4K5
Email:  info@bsd.ca

Do I have to apply to the school each year, if I've been accepted?  No. Once accepted into a School of Choice, the pupil is entitled to continue at that school, year after year, as an approved pupil of that school as long as the family remains resident in the Division. Manitoba Education & Training does not allow for siblings to be given School of Choice priority once one member of the family has been accepted into the school.

Will I be eligible for transportation to my School of Choice?  Exercising your right to school of choice requires that you make your own arrangements for transportation. However, there is a set of designated criteria by which each individual case will be evaluated. The Brandon School Division Transportation Department 204-729-3975 can advise you in this matter.

Will I be eligible for a lunch program at my School of Choice?  Parents are responsible for lunch for their children. However, some schools have parent-run lunch programs to which one must apply and for which there is a cost. Schools will identify the contact names once the application is approved.

What if I've moved here before the first day of school, but after May 15th?  If the schools are still in session, prior to July 1, contact the school principal of your home school. He or she will assist you with the registration procedures for the fall. If the school is closed for summer holidays (after July 1), please call the Brandon School Division Administration Office at 204-729-3100.

What if I move during the school year?  If you move out of your current school's catchment area, but still remain within Brandon School Division boundaries, you may be asked to transfer to the school whose catchment area you have moved into. A School of Choice application is not required in this case. Please see your current school principal.

What if I want to withdraw from my School of Choice? A pupil who has been approved to attend a School of Choice in the Division may withdraw from that school. However, under such circumstances, the Division is not obligated to accept the return of the student to the home school and reserves the right to designate the school to which the pupil shall be assigned.

How can I get more information about each of the schools?  The Brandon School Division has a Handbook of Schools which includes information about each of our schools, as well as general information about the Division.  Our School Directory provides contact information for each school.