Welcoming families of all faiths
Children of all religions are welcome to join the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Our approach to educating your child is inclusive, honouring the dignity of every child and respecting all beliefs, in keeping with our Catholic social teachings. Our educators encourage students to celebrate diversity and advocate for inclusion. At the OCSB, faith is at the heart of everything we do. Once you register, you become part of our OCSB family. We will journey with you from registration – to the first day of school – to graduation.
Registering for school is as simple as A-B-C
- Proof of your Ottawa address in Ottawa (recent). Examples include a rental or purchase agreement for where you live, utility bill, bank or credit card statement. A driver’s license is not accepted.
- Proof of your child’s name/age (e.g. birth certificate or passport)
- You or your child’s immigration documents if your child was not born in Canada. (If you’re new to Canada, please see our Family Welcome Center)
Other helpful documents include:
- A student report card
- IEP (Individual Education Plan)
- Assessments (if your child requires special accommodations)
How to register once you have gathered your documents
- Find your school using OSTA’s bus planner tool.
- Complete our registration form.
Do you live in Barrhaven or Fernbank area?
If you live in the Barrhaven or Fernbank area, we have 2 new schools opening for the 2023-2024 school year. At the moment, they are not available in the School Locator tool. So, please check to see if you fall within their boundaries here.
What happens after we register?
After completing your registration, we will follow up with you by email within 2-5 business days. If you have questions at any point in time, please contact Admissions at admissions@ocsb.ca or call 613-228-3338 to schedule an in-person appointment.
Already an OCSB family? Is your family planning to move?
All students registered before June 2022 are considered current students. For families with current students moving, we ask you to use the OSTA Bus Planner Tool to Find Your School. Once you have, please, complete the transfer form.
Newcomers
Call our Family Welcome Centre to make a registration appointment. Our staff will help you with the entire registration process. 613-233-5670.
Virtual learning at the OCSB
We’ve opened two permanent Virtual Schools this year. Each with its own dedicated administration team and school name.
- Blessed Carlo Virtual School – Our virtual elementary school for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. The school is named after Blessed Carlo Acutis.
- St. Josephine Virtual High School – Our virtual intermediate and high school for students in Grades 7 to 12. The school is named after St. Josephine Bakhita.
Read more about the announcement of the opening of these new schools.
These names will honour the spirit of a Catholic virtual learning environment and reflect an inclusive community as a whole. Our new Virtual Schools are intended for students who learn best in the online environment. Each school has its own dedicated administration team and school name. Students attending Virtual Schools will join other virtual students from across the city and form a virtual Catholic School community.
Can we switch back to in-person learning?
This is meant to be a permanent change, not a temporary learning solution before returning to in-person learning. After starting virtual school next year, if you find that this is not the best learning environment for your child, you may request a Transfer Between Schools in the “Cross-boundary transfers” section on our Boundaries page. Transfer Between Schools is not guaranteed and can only happen if there is room for your child at the school.