Immaculate Heart of Mary School (IHMS) is Manitoba’s only Ukrainian Catholic School; and is an educational opportunity for your child you cannot afford to pass up. For over 100 years, IHMS has provided an affordable, safe and secure learning environment; a strong sense of community, a solid reputation for promoting high values and moral standards, and a special concern for the spiritual and cultural development of its students.
Providing a positive student experience, at the very highest of standards, are its hallmark; a commitment to the core skills of a superior education; an accomplished extracurricular athletic program; a vibrant musical performing arts program; and ever advancing information and communication technology methods.
This has led to IHMS students consistently scoring high on provincial testing, as well as graduates having an excellent acceptance rate at secondary schools.
IHMS offers classes from sadochok (nursery) to grade 8. If you have a child or children in the early to middle years age group and are seeking a Christian based education steeped in Ukrainian culture, then you should contact IHMS.
Registration Process
New Students
Thank you for showing interest in Immaculate Heart of Mary School. All applicants for nursery to grade 8 need to complete the IHMS Admission Form. A downloadable copy of the Admission form can be found here. Please submit the completed form by March 1 with the following:
Copy of your child’s birth certificate;
Copy of your child’s Baptismal certificate;
Copy of your child’s most recent progress report;
Immigration documents (if applicable);
Information regarding any special programming your child has been receiving.
Once your application has been processed, you will be contacted to arrange a meeting and school tour with the Principal.
Re-registering Students
Each current school family must complete the IHMS Re-Registration Form yearly for all children attending the school. This form is due back at the beginning of February; it enables the school to keep all information current and to accept new applicants in a timely manner.
Admission Policy
After October 1 of each year, applications for admission to Immaculate Heart of Mary School will be accepted for the following school year, and admission decisions will be made by April 30. The admission cut-off date for the current school year will be September 30 of that year. Parents requesting admission for their children after this date must meet with school administration for consideration of a special late admission.
Admission Criteria and Considerations
Age Qualification
General provincial standards require that children being admitted to Kindergarten be 5 years old on or before December 31 of the year they begin kindergarten.
Children being admitted to grade one must be 6 years old on or before December 31 of the year they begin grade one.
Priorities and Conditions
The Immaculate Heart of Mary School reserves the right to accept applicants subject to the following priorities and conditions:
For Siblings, Ukrainian Catholic Students and Alumni
First priority will be given to siblings of children currently enrolled in the school, and then to the children of practising Ukrainian Catholic families and children alumni.
For Catholic Students, Who Are Members Of Other Catholic Parishes
Any Catholic children, who are not Ukrainian Catholic, whose families wish to enrol them in the school, shall be considered on an individual basis.
For Non-Catholic Students
Non-Catholic children may be admitted to Immaculate Heart of Mary School after admission is completed of Catholic students. Children from these families will be expected to participate in the entire educational program of the school, including religious and cultural instruction.
For Non-Resident Students
Families of children who hold Canadian Visitor’s Visas and who are admitted to the school will be expected to financially contribute to the school the amount equal to the sum provided by the provincial grant, as well as the costs above the provincial grant. These families will be required to pay in advance or to provide post-dated cheques to the school to cover these costs.
Available spaces
Class sizes will be determined in the following manner:
Maximum class size for grades is as follows: K-3 is 26, 4-8 is 28. The School retains the right to limit class size to a number below the maximum level.
In the event that all other criteria are met and the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of available spaces, the final decision for acceptance into the school shall rest with administration.
Application Process
IHMS Application Forms will given to families expressing an interest in the school. Application Forms are also available on the school web site.
Completed forms are to be returned to the school.
Admission interviews will be arranged based upon the criteria and priorities stated in this policy, above.
Parents of new applicants will be notified of enrolment decisions by April 30.
Non-acceptance of new applicants will be based upon one or more of the following:
The admission criteria and priorities outlined above.
A lack of commitment on the part of the parents to support a Catholic education.
School Funding
The Government of Manitoba provides to public schools a grant for each child enrolled. Catholic Schools receive half of this amount. This grant money is intended for instructional services and does not apply to capital costs, such as building maintenance, renovations, and supplies. IHMS provides the facilities and programs it does based on the following sources of revenue:
The grant from the Government of Manitoba for each child enrolled
Fund raising and donations.
School fees assessment: registration fees and tuition fees
IHMS offers a Bursary Program to assist families in paying their tuition costs.
Make a Gift
IHMS welcomes all parents, grandparents, alumni and friends to become partners in our commitment over the next 100 years to continue providing the children of our community with a quality education. Consider making a contribution to Immaculate Heart of Mary School that will help us further our programs for future generations.