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Office of the Provost & Vice-President (Academic)

Academic Excellence

Education & Childcare

Public Schools

Hamilton’s public school system is overseen by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB). The HWDSB is comprised of 114 elementary and secondary schools and over 50,000 students.

In addition to the traditional programs offered in the neighbourhood schools, the Hamilton-Wentwork District School Board offers alternative programs such as French Immersion and Programs of Choice.

For more information about the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, or to find the public school nearest to you, please visit the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board website.

Catholic Schools

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) oversees the separate school system in Hamilton, and includes 56 schools and over 29,000 students.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board offers a variety of programs including full-day kindergarten, French Immersion, Adult Education, and The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP).

Further information can be found by visiting the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board website.

Child Care and Early Childhood Education

McMaster University is proud to offer on-campus daycare services. McMaster Children’s Centre is a licensed, non-profit, self supporting corporation that is administered by a director and Board of Directors. McMaster opened its doors in 1975, and has continued to serve the community to this day. They are currently licensed for 63 children, ranging in ages from 18 months to 5 years.

The Co-ordinated Access for Childcare is a City of Hamilton supported initiative that was completed in 2009 to improve access to child-care related information. This initiative offers a variety of information about local child-care facilities.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board offers accessible child care and early childhood education at 40 schools in the area by a number of commnity partners. These programs are licenced with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. More information on these programs can be found in the Early Learning and Childcare section of the HWDSB website.

A list of better-known local childcare providers can be found on the McMaster Off-Campus Resource Centre website.