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Back to School (2022-2023)

This page contains information for our current students and families, and those interested in attending our schools.
 
Graphics of school-related items around the text "Let's LEARN. Let's GROW. Let's Go! amdsb.ca/BackToSchool" on the left with text "We can't wait to WELCOME students back!"
 

We're ready for you!

Our teachers, administrators, support staff and custodians have been working hard to get schools and classrooms ready for students for the 2022-2023 school year. We are excited to begin a new year that looks almost completely “normal”! We hope that our students have enjoyed a restful and fun-filled summer and we hope that year will be a positive learning experience for our students as they develop socially, emotionally and academically! 
 
Collage of photos showing teachers & support staff ready for students. Graphic in centre with text: Hello. Good morning. You belong here. You're doing great. I believe in you.
 

What does learning look like for the 2022-2023 school year?

Almost all AMDSB students will be returning face to face with their peers and caring educators. 
 
School health and safety protocols will look very similar to the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Students and staff will be asked to screen for COVID-19 symptoms before attending using the Ontario School Screening Tool, rapid antigen tests, masks and other protective equipment will be available, ventilation and enhanced cleaning will continue to be a focus, and hand hygiene will be promoted.
 
We will also continue to offer full online (remote) learning for the 2022-2023 school year. Elementary students will be enrolled in the Avon Maitland Remote Learning School (AMRLS). Secondary students will remain registered with their home secondary school, but will complete part of their day in TWO synchronous (online with the teacher) remote learning courses. Depending on the student’s grade, up to TWO other courses will be chosen by students through the Avon Maitland District eLearning Centre (AMDEC). AMDEC courses are asynchronous only (students are not online with the teacher).  
 
 

Relevant information for returning families

The flyer below provides information about key processes for our schools for new families, but is also a great reminder for returning families. 
 

What about school supplies?

We always receive questions from parents about what supplies students need to bring with them to school. For the most part, all supplies are provided in classrooms. Sometimes teachers will make recommendations about additional supplies but these are optional. 
 

Key Dates

First Day of Classes: Tuesday September 6, 2022 (except kindergarten students who have a staggered entry)
Winter Break:  Last day of classes is Friday December 23, 2022. First day back is Monday January 9, 2023
Secondary Winter Exam Days: January 26, 27, 30, 31, February 1, 2023
March Break: March 13 - 17, 2023
Secondary Summer Exam Days: June 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 2023
Last Day of Classes: Thursday, June 29, 2023
 
Find full details on our School Calendar page. 

New to AMDSB?

Who we are

If you are new to Avon Maitland (or just checking us out), we are a full service public English school district in southwestern Ontario. We serve families in Huron and Perth Counties.
 
At AMDSB, our goal is to enable students to be successful graduates who can say “I am Well, I am Prepared, I am Engaged.” We are committed to what parents in our system have highlighted as the importance of monitoring. We track a wide range of data and information so that adjustments can be made throughout the school year to meet the needs of our students. Read about our 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.
 
 
 
Our motto is “Always learning” - we believe that students and staff are continually learning and growing as they
“I had encouragement from my teachers, they never made me feel inferior or silly. They seemed to understand that it was ok for me to follow my unique path.” Past AMDSB student
encounter new knowledge. We are a small school board that can pivot and shift quickly when needed so that we continually meet the needs of our students.
 
 

Programs (what we offer)

We offer a wide variety of programs to meet the needs of our students. Check out a few examples below! For a full list of programs and services offered at the Elementary level click here, and for our Secondary programs and services, click here. 

Our Kindergarten teams provide safe, nurturing environments that promote cognitive, social, and emotional development. Classrooms are carefully designed to include materials and experiences to encourage collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication, and problem solving. 

Collage of photos of AMDSB kindergarten classroom

We offer French Immersion programming in Stratford at three Elementary schools: Bedford Public School, Anne Hathaway Public School and Stratford Intermediate School, and one Secondary school: Stratford District Secondary School.
Student making moccasins
Young students learning English are supported through our Multilingual Language Learner Support (MLL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) programs.

Our Indigenous Education Lead guides programming related to the Ontario Indigenous Education Strategy, which aims to support students who identify as First Nations, Métis and Inuit. Our schools also participate in a number of activities that enhance Indigenous learning opportunities. 

You Matter sticker

Our Mental Health and Well-being team, along with community partners, provides a wide variety  of resources for our students and educators around stress and coping and building resilience. Our Mental Health Counsellors work directly in our schools to promote mental health and well-being and guide student-led teams as they develop school-specific plans for their peers. For those who may need extra support, we work in partnership with local community providers like Huron Perth Centre for Children and Youth, Rural Response for Healthy Children, Tanner Steffler Foundation, and Choices for Change, to ensure students have access to the support that they need. After collecting feedback from our School Councils, we learned that the most commonly mentioned ‘star’ of our Strategic Plan was the focus on mental health and well-being. Visit our Mental Health and Well-being page to learn more. 

AMDSB apple with Canadian flag wrapping around. Text: New to Canada?
Welcome! Register at your local school or online on our School Registration page. Our English as a Second Language (ESL) Team supports school teams with ESL programming for students as applicable. If students or families need supports settling in Canada, we can facilitate connections to YMCA Settlement Services and the Huron County Immigration Partnership.  

 
 
 

We value equity, diversity and inclusivity. Our schools provide a caring, welcoming and inclusive community for our students. We complete an annual survey to assess belonging and school culture and use those results to develop student-led initiatives. We promote a safe environment for all students and regularly educate our students about bullying and how to be supportive of one another. We demonstrate our commitment to inclusivity by flying the Pride flag in June, recognizing Orange Shirt Day, Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month and many others. We value menstrual equity and as of September 2021 we provide free products in washrooms used by grade 4-12 students in all schools.


Images representing Equity

 All of our schools offer experiential learning opportunities to help students realize their skills and interests and gain valuable career experience. We offer FunTECH activities to Grade 6 students, and for our secondary students, Cooperative Education, Dual Credit courses with Conestoga, Fanshawe, and Lambton Colleges, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Specialist High Skills Majors, and more. Learn more at amdsb.ca/pathways. 

Collage of photos of students engaged in experiential learning opportunities

“The fact that AMDSB schools have such a sense of community of support, not just from an administrative or teacher level, but also from the students, has been extraordinary. The integration of our child with special needs into the classroom with peers has been invaluable.” Parent of student with special needsOur classroom teachers focus on universal design for learning and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students. Special education programs and services at AMDSB support classroom teachers in meeting the needs of our diverse group of learners with special education needs. Our services support learners with reduced hearing or vision, gifted learners and those who need extra support. Visit our Special Education page to learn more. 

 

 

 

 

Our Schools

There are 31 elementary and 8 secondary schools in the Avon Maitland District School Board, as well as the Avon Maitland District eLearning Centre and the Avon Maitland Remote Learning School (AMRLS). AMRLS was developed prior to the 2020-2021 school year as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compared to some surrounding school boards, many of our schools are small and the communities close-knit. Students and their families are able to build relationships with school staff and other families. For secondary students, this can translate into valuable community service or co-op placement opportunities. 

See a list of all of our schools.
“I underestimated the value of the resources provided by AMDSB. Our daughter has been successful because of the equipment that she uses every day in her classroom.” Parent of student who is hard of hearing
Not sure which school your child should attend? Use our School Finder tool. 

Register your child at one of our schools today!

See these videos to learn more about what each of our secondary schools has to offer (videos will open in a new tab):


Central Huron Secondary School (Clinton)

F.E. Madill Secondary School (Wingham)

Goderich District Collegiate Institute (Goderich)

Listowel District Secondary School (Listowel)

Mitchell District High School (Mitchell)

South Huron District High School (Exeter)

St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI) (St Marys)

Stratford District Secondary School (Stratford)