Brandon School District Guide for Parents

Brandon School Division (BSD) basics

The official site is bsd.ca. It lists every school, posts division-wide announcements, the school year calendar, board meeting agendas, and policies. Bookmark this; it's the source of truth.

Which school does my address go to?

Brandon assigns students by catchment area. The BSD site has a school catchment map / search by address tool — type in your home address and it tells you the designated elementary, middle, and high school for that address.

Out-of-catchment requests (you want a different school than your default) are possible but require an application and aren't guaranteed.

School levels

• Kindergarten – Grade 4 — Elementary schools (multiple across Brandon)
• Grades 5 – 8 — Middle schools
• Grades 9 – 12 — High schools (Crocus Plains, Vincent Massey, Neelin)

Boundaries do get adjusted occasionally as enrolment shifts.

French immersion

Brandon offers French immersion at designated schools (École New Era is the main dual-track elementary; François-Bernier middle school; Vincent Massey high school has the immersion stream). Spaces can be limited — sometimes lottery / waitlist. Apply early.

Registration

Online registration through bsd.ca for the upcoming school year typically opens in spring (March – April). Documents needed: proof of address, child's birth certificate, immunization records. Each school posts its own welcome / orientation dates closer to start of school.

School calendar & closures

BSD publishes the full year calendar on bsd.ca in early summer. Includes term start / end, statutory holidays, PD days, exam weeks. Weather closures are announced morning-of on the BSD Facebook page and via 880 CKLQ.

Other school options

Brandon also has independent schools (Christian, Montessori, etc.) and a small number of homeschooling families. Manitoba allows homeschooling with registration through the province. The independent schools each have their own admissions process.

Post-secondary

Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College are the two main local post-secondary options. Both have separate admission processes and websites.