The official registration period at the Sherbrooke Region School Service Center will be from January 27 to February 7.
The bus or the daycare service, not both at the same time
From the start of the 2025-2026 school year, registration for school transportation will be compulsory if you wish to have access to it.
It will no longer be possible for parents to register their child for daycare and school transportation simultaneously.
The parent will therefore have to make a choice between school transportation or daycare for the morning block and the evening block. This request will be effective for a period of five mornings or five evenings, from Monday to Friday. This choice could be modulated every other week in the event of shared custody, it is indicated.
This new feature will disrupt the routine of some parents and the CSSRS is aware of this. However, this decision was taken to improve efficiency, maximize the places available both in daycare and on buses while reducing the various costs for the organization.
This decision also has the objective of maximizing the number of families who will be able to have access to the school bus at a second address, underlines the secretary general and director of the Communications Department, Donald Landry. With this change, the CSSRS will be able to confirm more quickly to families who will have access to school transportation for a second address. Currently, the response often arrives around September 30.
“We think that it goes a little beyond the State’s mission to offer parents the possibility at all times to have both options depending on each situation that arises. […] Ultimately, we think we will respond to more people. Perhaps we will be less in specific needs of certain realities, but we think that we will make better use of the money entrusted to us,” he explains.
These changes were adopted in June as part of the new school organization policy.
End of atypical registration
In this vein, it will no longer be possible to reserve daycare or diner service for the day.
Individual reservations created a logistical challenge, indicates the CSSRS. Sometimes, due to numerous schedule changes, errors could occur. For example, a child could take the bus when he had to stay in daycare. From then on, there was a security issue, mentions Mr. Landry.
Parents will have to choose between the school bus or daycare from the start of the 2025 school year in Sherbrooke. (Simon Séguin-Bertrand/Archives Le Droit)
-Pay your bill or lose your seat
Starting in the new school year, payments for daycare and lunch services must be made before children receive services. For example, payment must be made in August to have access to the various services in September.
The monthly reservation must be paid no later than the 1st of the coming month. Otherwise, a breakdown in service will be noted by the CSSRS. This means that the child will no longer be allowed to go to daycare. Their place will be offered to a student on the waiting list. The family of the child who has lost service will have to reapply for registration. If the student still comes to the daycare, the parents will be charged the emergency costs.
Donald Landry reminds that the emergency service is only used to respond to emergencies.
The advance payment will allow the school organization to have a better idea of the number of children that the different services will welcome each month. “This will make it possible to offer places to young people who currently do not have them or to respect the ratios.”
The CSSRS is aware that parents will have to adjust. (JEANNOT LÉVESQUE/Archives Le Progrès)
This payment method will also allow the CSSRS to reduce bad debts due to late payments. Administrative tasks should also be less burdensome for staff as some parents tried to negotiate down payment for childcare.
“If they do administration, they do less teaching. [….] We want to refocus the work of our employees on serving students.”
Billing for the following month will be carried out on the eleventh day of each month.
From February 10 to 17, the registration of the second parent will take place if necessary. The latter will be able to indicate their needs for their week in terms of childcare, school transportation or dinner service.
A support telephone line is made available to parents during the registration period. They can call 819-822-5540 ext. 21788.
