Admissions

A specialized, private, public interest school.

What does this mean?

  • Specialized: The services are aimed at a specific clientele (see our admission criteria).
  • Private: Vanguard School is a non-profit corporation and is managed by a Board of directors.
  • Public interest: At the request of the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEQ), we intervene with the School Boards and School Service Centres as external partners. In this sense, a School Board or School Service Center can call upon our services in two circumstances: to offer a service that cannot be provided within its establishments or to respond to a particular (or severe) problem noted in a child who corresponds to the profile of the clientele accepted at Vanguard School.

Please note that although the school must give priority to students referred by the School Boards and School Service Centers, it may also accept students whose parents are applying to register their children. If a student’s application is made by their School Board or School Service Center, it is the School Board or School Service Center’s responsibility to deal directly with Vanguard School throughout the admission process.

Our environment is therefore motivating and stimulating and focuses on the acquisition of knowledge for both the students and our specialized personnel. As a teacher, you would like the opportunity to be part of our team of special education experts. You want to make a real difference with students.

We have a place for you.


Admission Criteria

  • Be between 7 and 16 years old.
  • Display any specific learning disability(ies):
    • Dyslexia
    • Dysorthography
    • DLD (Developmental Language Disorder)
    • Dyscalculia
    • Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD)
    • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
    • Auditory processing disorder
    • Dyspraxia
    • Executive function disorder
  • Have average or above-average intellectual potential
    • Please note that a borderline profile may not be accepted at our institution.
  • Delayed educational achievement in any of the following subjects: the language of instruction or mathematics.

Please note that the above-mentioned admission criteria alone do not constitute the conditions of eligibility, but that the entire file must be studied to ensure that our environment can meet the needs of your child and that they can develop in harmony with our environment. Your child’s motivation is also taken into consideration when making a decision.

It is important to know that, according to the request of the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec (MEQ), we must prioritize students who have an inter-board agreement granted by a school board. However, families who wish to do so can apply directly to Vanguard School.

References

Students may be referred by:

  • School Boards or School Service Centres;
  • parents;
  • educational professionals (teachers, remedial educators);
  • personal service professionals (psychologists, social workers, guidance counsellors, etc.);
  • Hospitals, referral centers, and institutions that come into contact with students for whom our school might be suitable.

Languages of instruction

Language of instruction

Instruction is offered in English and French.

The student may be enrolled in the English sector if they hold a certificate of eligibility for instruction in English.

Bouton vers page interne:
Contact us

Admission documents

Please note that we are revising our admission process for the 2023–2024 school year, and all of our forms will be electronic to facilitate the process. As of February 2023, we will be able to post our new documents on the site. Until then, it will still be possible to apply for admission by following the current guidelines and completing our current forms.

Our suggestions to facilitate the preparation of the file

  • Use the list of required documents as a checklist before applying.
  • Keep a copy of all the documents you send us in your “home” file.
  • To complete the documents, you will be asked for your child’s permanent code. This information is found on the school report card.

Contact our admissions team if you have any questions at admissions@vanguardquebec.qc.ca

Provide original copies of the following documents:

  • A recent photo of your child;
  • Your child’s original birth certificate or civil record (which we will return to you by mail);
  • When required, a certificate of eligibility to teach in English (the original document, which we will mail back to you).

 

For admission to the Elementary School

Mandatory questionnaires are to be submitted upon admission

To be submitted and completed by parents:

Download the Questionnaire

To be submitted and completed by the classroom teacher:

Download the Questionnaire

 

For admission to High School

Mandatory questionnaires are to be submitted upon admission

To be submitted and completed by parents:
Download the Questionnaire

To be submitted and completed by the classroom teacher:
Download the Questionnaire

 

Provide a copy of the following documents:

  • Your child’s last report card;
  • Your child’s Individualized Education Plan;
  • A psychological assessment report less than 2 years old, including a WISC IV or WISC V with interpretation and any test that profiles the student’s cognitive functioning;
  • The most recent speech and language assessment or intervention report available, if the student has received this service;
  • Reports from various professionals, if applicable (special education, occupational therapy, audiology, neuropsychology, etc.).
  • A non-refundable application fee of $50 payable to Vanguard School by cheque, money order or bank draft. N.B. Cash payments are not accepted.

 

Please send your documents to the following address:

Admissions
Vanguard School
5935 Côte-de-Liesse Road,
Ville Saint-Laurent, Québec H4T 1C3

For more information:
Telephone : 514 747-5500 ext 6317
Email : admissions@vanguardquebec.qc.ca

Visit the School

The school does not hold an open house for the community at large.

On the other hand, some initiatives allow parents to visit our school at some point during the school year.

It is important to note that visits are organized by age group. They are by invitation only.

Elementary School (French and English) 

A welcome day is organized in May at the elementary school. It allows students and parents to discover the school.

The principal meets with the parents. We can describe the school’s functioning and our practices.

This allows parents to get a better idea of the students at Vanguard School.

The welcome day also allows us to validate the information we have on file regarding the student’s functioning.

This is an important step in our admissions process before we make our final decision. The information from this day is valuable and allows us to determine if the student meets our criteria and if we can make a difference for them. It also ensures that we make appropriate classifications and determine priorities for action for the child. During this observation, we can clarify the student’s profile in reading, writing, and math skills.

 

French High School 

From November to April, we arrange visits every second week of the month, on Thursdays or Fridays.

We usually welcome 4 to 7 people at these meetings, which allows for personalized exchanges.

Please note that these visits are in connection with the submission of an application for admission to the school or with a reflection to pursue an application. 

Contact us for details

English High School

The visits are individualized. As a result, the student and their parents are met in person.

These visits take place in June following the analysis of the students’ files for the admissions process.

Contact us for details

Transportation

Vanguard School provides transportation for more and more students from one year to the next. Supported by the Ministry of Education, students can sometimes be transported by their school board or (for many of them) by a transport set up by our school. For any information on this subject, do not hesitate to contact Student Life.

Please note that carpooling arrangements are also in place, and direct shuttles between our school and metro stations are also in place to facilitate transportation for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequent questions

  • My child is on the waiting list. When will I hear back?

Most decisions are not made until the end of June, since École Vanguard must first decide on the number of places available by academic level.

  • Where is my child on the waiting list?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible for us to say where your child is on the waiting list, as it changes from day to day, depending on the agreements and requests made by the CSS.

  • How do I submit my application to the school?

For the time being, you can send your documents by mail or drop them off directly at the school during business hours (7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).

  • How long can a child stay on the waiting list before being admitted?

A young person’s file may be admissible, but we may not be able to accept him or her for lack of space. In this case, the file is put on the waiting list. Unfortunately, we cannot predict how long the waiting period will be, as the situation may change from year to year.

  • What is the application deadline?

For a CSS, the deadline for submitting applications is May 1.

Parents who apply without an agreement may do so at any time, but it is preferable to submit all documents as soon as possible, since this establishes the priority date for applications (May 1 at the latest for the following year).  Applications submitted after this date may be considered if there are still places available according to the student’s ranking (always in order of priority).

  • What are the admission and tuition fees?

The fees (registration and related) are $450 for primary students without an agreement and $675 for secondary students without an agreement.  Students with an agreement have a reduction of $150 assumed by their CSS.  These fees have been in effect since 2022-23 and are subject to change. In addition to these fees, as in all environments, there are fees for daycare services at the primary level, as well as fees for teaching and school materials.

 

TRANSPORTATION-RELATED QUESTIONS

  • Will my child be entitled to school transportation?

École Vanguard provides transportation for an increasing number of students from one year to the next. Supported by the Ministry of Education, students may be transported by their own school board, or (for many of them) by transportation provided by our school.

Please note that car-pooling arrangements are also in place, and that direct shuttles between our school and metro stations are also in place to facilitate transportation for everyone.  If you have any questions about your own situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the following address: Vie Étudiante Student Life

 

ADMISSIONS-REGISTRATION-HOME

  • At what age and in what school year can a child be admitted?

A child can be admitted as early as grade 2 (generally from age 8) and as late as secondary 5, in both English and French.

 

  • How can I get an agreement with our CSS so that our child can be prioritized?

Based on our experience, we suggest that you take the following steps:

-Meet with the people at your child’s school (teacher, principal, specialists, etc.) to understand your child’s progress at school;

-During this meeting, ask about your child’s progress and the resources in place;

-Depending on the child’s needs, ask if the interventions carried out with the child can be readjusted;

-Discuss the medium- and long-term prospects for re-education in your child’s school or CSS;

-Contact your child’s school principal to find out whether a referral from them is possible, or whether services can be provided to your child in his or her current environment.

*Please note that it is the responsibility of the CSS to judge the need for a schooling agreement with École Vanguard for each of its students. However, the decision whether or not to accept a student rests with École Vanguard.

 

  • Can I enroll my child at École Vanguard even if my CSS does not refer him/her?

Vanguard’s mandate is to give priority to CSS referrals (extraterritorial agreement). However, the parent is always entitled to apply directly for admission without such a referral.  Note that these files are processed after those of the CSS.

 

  • When will we receive an answer regarding our child’s admission?

Responses (decisions) are generally sent towards the end of June, beginning of July.

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