Font Size
The International & Indigenous Languages Program – Elementary helps students learn a new language or maintain and develop the language of their home, promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. It is available to all students (JK-Grade 8), regardless of their language background and the school board they attend, and is FREE for Ontario residents.
Registration for the 2023 – 2024 school year is now open!
Classes will be offered in-person and/or virtually. In-person classes will depend on the current public health regulations determined by the Ministry of Education and Ottawa Public Health. If in-person classes must be canceled, students will be asked to switch to virtual learning.
9:30 am – 12:00 pm every Saturday In-person and/or Virtual
American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic, Blin, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Creole, Croatian, Dari, Dutch, Farsi, Igbo, Inuktitut, Italian, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Korean, Lingala, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Pashto, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, Turkish, Ukrainian, Yoruba
1:00 – 3:30 pm Beginner classes Virtual
Beginner classes in American Sign Language, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, and Ukrainian
Morning classes (9:30 am to 12:00 pm)
We offer the following languages Saturday morning.
Language | Format | Location for In-person |
---|---|---|
American Sign Language (ASL) | In-Person and Virtual | St. Mother Teresa HS, 440 Longfields Dr., Barrhaven |
Amharic | In-Person | St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa |
Blin | In-person | Notre Dame HS, 710 Broadview Ave., Ottawa |
Bulgarian | In-person | St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa |
Cantonese | In-person | Notre Dame HS, 710 Broadview Ave., Ottawa |
Creole | Virtual | N/A |
Croatian | In-Person | Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Dari | Virtual | N/A |
Dutch | Virtual | N/A |
Farsi | In-person | – All Saints HS, 5115 Kanata Ave., Kanata |
Igbo | Virtual | N/A |
Inuktitut | Virtual | N/A |
Italian | In-person | Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Kinyarwanda | Virtual | N/A |
Kirundi | Virtual | N/A |
Korean | In-person | St. Mother Teresa HS, 440 Longfields Dr., Barrhaven |
Lingala | Virtual | N/A |
Mandarin (Simplified) | In-person and Virtual | – All Saints HS, 5115 Kanata Ave., Kanata – Notre Dame HS, 710 Broadview Ave., Ottawa – St. Clare School, 2133 Gardenway Dr., Orléans – St. Joseph HS, 3333 Greenbank Rd., Nepean |
Mandarin (Traditional) | In-person and/or Virtual | St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa Note: Location might change |
Polish | In-person | St. Nicholas Adult HS, 893 Admiral Ave., Ottawa |
Portuguese | In-person | Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Punjabi | In-Person and/or Virtual | – St. Mother Teresa HS, 440 Longfields Dr., Barrhaven |
Romanian | In-person | Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Russian | In-person | St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa |
Slovak | In-Person | St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa |
Spanish | In-person and Virtual | – Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa – All Saints HS, 5115 Kanata Ave., Kanata North – St. Clare School, 2133 Gardenway Dr., Orléans |
Swahili | Virtual | N/A |
Tigrinya | In-person | – Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Turkish | In-Person | Notre Dame HS, 710 Broadview Ave., Ottawa |
Ukrainian | In-Person | All Saints HS, 5115 Kanata Ave., Kanata |
Yoruba | In-Person or Virtual | Frank Ryan Catholic Int School, 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa Note: In-person location might change |
Sites and Languages at a Glance
Site | Languages |
---|---|
All Saints HS 5115 Kanata Avenue, Kanata North |
Farsi Mandarin (Simplified) Punjabi Spanish Ukrainian |
Frank Ryan Catholic School 128 Chesterton Dr., Ottawa |
Croatian Italian Portuguese Romanian Spanish Tigrinya |
Notre Dame HS 710 Broadview Ave., Ottawa |
Blin Cantonese Dutch Mandarin (Simplified) |
St. Clare School 2133 Gardenway Dr, Orléans |
Mandarin (Simplified) Spanish |
St. George School, 130 Keyworth Ave., Ottawa |
Amharic Bulgarian Mandarin (Traditional) Note: Location might change Russian Slovak |
St. Joseph HS 3333 Greenbank Rd, Nepean |
Mandarin (Simplified) |
St. Mother Teresa HS 440 Longfields Dr., Barrhaven |
ASL Korean Punjabi |
St. Nicholas Adult HS 893 Admiral Ave., Ottawa |
Polish |
Afternoon classes (Beginner level only) – 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Afternoon VIRTUAL classes are designed for beginners (Grades 2 – 8). Prior knowledge of the language is not expected or required. All afternoon classes are offered virtually.
- American Sign Language
- Arabic
- Korean
- Mandarin (Simplified)
- Spanish
- Ukrainian
The Ottawa Catholic School Board reserves the right to cancel any program due to low enrolment.
Eligibility and choices
- Students who are in JK to Grade 8 in the 2023 – 2024 school year.
- Students must be available for the full duration of the class time.
- Students from Ontario and Quebec living in the Ottawa area.
- Students may register for one of the following choices:
- one morning class (Grades JK – Grade 8)
- one afternoon class (Grades 2 – Grade 8) (Note: Beginner students only)
- one morning class and one afternoon class (Different languages am/pm)
REGISTER for the 2023 – 2024 school year
Registrations received after August 25 will be processed and notification of the start date sent later.
Important Note! When you register, you will receive an email confirming that we have received your registration. After we add your child to a class, you will be receiving a Welcome email. Please don’t bring your child to school before receiving the Welcome email with your child’s start date.
No consumable fees will be collected this year (as in the last couple of years).
Students from Quebec or International students residing in Ontario must pay a tuition fee of $165.00 (payable online).
Online payments can be made after June 24, 2023
Note: In case of cancellation, you will receive a prorated refund minus an administrative fee of $15.
Questions: Call 613-228-3338.

Required documents
As per the Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines, the following supporting documents of NEW students to our program must be reviewed by the Continuing Education Department prior to confirmation of the registration. We will email parents on the details of this process on receipt of the registration.
Proof of Address (only one required):
- Current Property Tax Bill
- Current Utility Bill
- Home Phone/Cable/Internet Bill
- Please note, Driver’s License is not acceptable
Proof of Citizenship and Status in Canada (only one required):
- Canadian Citizen (Birth Certificate, Passport, Baptismal Certificate)
- Permanent Resident (Permanent Resident Card, Stage One Approval letter, Equivalent Documentation from
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirming approval in principle)
- Refugee Status: Documentation from IRCC confirming status, Consideration of eligibility (Convention refugee)
- Diplomat Status / Minister’s Permit
- Student Visa (Study Permit)
- Visitor Visa (Visitor Record)
Please note…
The Ottawa Catholic School Board reserves the right to cancel any program due to lack of registration.