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Moving to a new neighborhood can be overwhelming especially if you have children who still go to school. Parents must take into account the needs and wants of several people in the family. Because of that, parents have to think about many factors like the home size, proximity to shopping and entertainment, neighborhood amenities, school ratings and best schools for their child.
We will focus on the last factor mentioned and that is looking for best schools for your child. Moving to a new school can be stressful for your child but finding a great school may make the transition easier. Not only that, it will also give your child access to excellent education.
There are three main types of school system in Mississauga, these are Public, Private and Catholic schools. You can see the updated school performance data in the following sources; First, The Fraser Institute’s School Ranking and second is the EQAO Standardized Testing Scores. If you are considering Mississauga as a potential city for your family to move in, here are great school options for your child.
Public schools
All public schools are handled by the Peel District School Board. They serve children age four and older, ranging from kindergarten to grade 12 students. They also offer three French as Second Language (FSL) programs to develop students' communication skills in the French language.The Peel District School Board accept registrations throughout the year except in July and August. If your family is new to the Peel region, your child may have to go through an assessment or orientation interview before starting school. You can look for more details about assessment in “We Welcome the World Centres” or you can call them at 905-366-8791. For support and information about COVID-19 pandemic, you can also call them at this number 905-890-9432.
Some of the great elementary schools in Mississauga based on their consistent school rankings in the past 5 years are Burnhamthorpe Public School, Britannia Public School, Lorne Park Public School, Tecumseh Public School and Vista Heights Public School. These schools serve K1 to Grade 5 students. These are also great school choices if you want to gear your child towards French Immersion.
For secondary schools, some of the best schools are John Fraser Secondary School, Glen Forest Secondary School, Cawthra Park Secondary School, and Port Credit Secondary School. All of these schools mentioned made it into top 10 best schools based on their consistency in EQAO pass-rates. These schools serve Grade 9 to 12 students.
Catholic schools
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is the separate school board that oversees Catholic school facilities throughout Peel Region and Dufferin County. Catholic elementary schools are open to Catholic children and children of Catholic parents while Catholic secondary schools offer open access to all students. They also provide support and introduction to Ontario school system for newcomers. You can reach the Newcomer Reception and Assessment Centres by calling this number 905-361-2344 or you can visit them here.Elementary Catholic schools typically accept K to Grade 8 students. These are the top 5 Catholic elementary schools in Mississauga based on their EQAO performance, St. Edmund Catholic School, St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, St. Timothy Catholic School, St. John of the Cross Catholic School and St. John XXIII Catholic School.
Some of the top ranked Catholic high schools are St. Marcellinus, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and St. Francis Xavier. St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the private counterpart of John Fraser SS while St. Francis Xavier is the largest high school in Mississauga. Fraser ranked St. Francis at 70/623 high schools in Ontario.
Private schools
Even though Mississauga offers best Public and Catholic schools service, some parents still prefer to enroll their child in private schools. One reason is because private schools have better teacher-to-student ratio. There are three categories in Mississauga private schools; Traditional, Full childhood and High school. There are also Montessori schools, Bilingual schools and Faith-based schools. Here are some private schools in Mississauga that you might want to consider for your child.Some of the great traditional private schools in Mississauga that offers quality education from pre-school to grade 8 students are Lynn-Rose Heights Private School located in Winston Churchill, Rotherglen School and Sherwood Heights School both located in Erin Mills. Full childhood private schools that accept Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 students is Mentor College in Lakeshore while TEAM School in Dundas and Hurontario area accepts Grade 1 to Grade 12 students.
For high school private schools, these schools are great options. The Bronte College in Queensway for grades 9 to 12 students, Holy Name of Mary College in Mississauga Road for grades 5 to 12 students and Toronto International Academy in Burnhamthorpe and Creditview for grades 10 to 12. For French immersion and bilingual private schools, you can take a look at Kendellhurst Academy for nursery to grade 8 and Toronto French School for pre-kindergarten to grade 7 students.
Montessori schools has an emphasis on hands-on independent learning. If you want your child to be taught the Montessori way, here are great schools worth considering. ABC Montessori in Matheson and Kennedy accepts Nursery to grade 5 students while Northstar Montessori Private School and Peel Montessori both accept pre-kindergarten to Grade 8 students.
There are also good faith-based school options in the city. These are Lumen Veritatis Academy located in Queen and accepts junior kindergarten to Grade 6 level students, Meadow Green Academy in Queensway and Mississauga Christian French School in Eglinton both accept pre-school to Grade 8 students.
Besides looking at school rankings, it would also be a good idea to go and see the school for yourself if possible. You’ll be able to meet the teachers, view the grounds and learn about the school’s strong features. You will also be able to ask personally about field trips, after-school programs and anything else your child might be interested in.
If you visit with your child, it would also be a good opportunity to know where the entrances, lockers, classroom and lunchroom are located. It would be a big help in boosting your child’s confidence as they move in their new school.
If you are looking to buy a property in Mississauga or have any questions, I can help. You can contact me at 647-834-9928 or send an email to [email protected]