Great news came in today that the Ottawa Carleton District School Board will open junior kindergarten registration at alternative schools for September 2026! More info from the board below.
March 6 – Parent representatives from Riverview Alternative School (RAS) and several other elementary schools in Alta Vista, along with representatives from the Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) met on March 2 with Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Supervisor Bob Plamondon and OCDSB Director of Education Stacey Kay to discuss the Board’s mid-December announcement that there would be no September 2026 Kindergarten intake at RAS. Similar meetings with the OCDSB have taken place recently with parents from other schools in Ottawa, including Churchill Alternative.
During the March 2 meeting, participants urged the OCDSB to reconsider this decision and retain a Kindergarten program at Riverview, even though the Alternative School program is being discontinued for new students. They noted that several elementary schools in the Ward (including Vincent Massey) are severely over capacity (as high as 143% of capacity). Participants suggested that some of these students could be diverted to Riverview to relieve overcrowding – particularly those living close to Riverview – thereby also reducing busing costs. Encouraging pupils in the neighbourhood to walk to Riverview is also consistent with Ottawa Student Transportation (OSTA) goal to supports active transportation (walk zones) where possible https://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/walk-zone/
The OCDSB was also asked to consider having an Early French Immersion program at Riverview in 2026 or 2027. Retaining kindergarten intake would also reduce disruption to current alternative students and their siblings and be a more cost-effective solution than pausing intake and reinstating it in subsequent years to deal with the increased number of students and families moving into the area. (JK and SK could be kept at Riverview and other schools without an Early French Immersion program yet in place)
During the meeting, Plamondon stated that reducing the number of pupils to close the school was not something that the Board was thinking about doing. Plamondon offered to host a follow up meeting with the parent council representatives and the RPCA in the next month or two to continue the discussion. The date for the second meeting has not yet been confirmed.
Meanwhile, parents and community members are being encouraged to text Premier Ford at his published cell number (647) 612-3673 and email Education Minister Paul Calandra at minister.edu@ontario.ca to express support for retaining regular kindergarten intake in Riverview Park and other Alternative Schools as the Alternative program winds down over the next seven years.
For more info, listen to this CBC Radio interview about this issue.