English as a Second Language

The Greater Essex County District School Board welcomes Multilingual learners and their families. If your first language is other than English, we offer English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD) programs to support you and your child in reaching their educational goals.

Newcomer Welcome Centre

The Newcomer Welcome Centre (NWC) assesses your child's level of English language skills and recommends placement into programs to help your child improve their English skills. The NWC is at 443 Ouellette Avenue, Unit C, Windsor, ON. You can contact us by phone at 519-985-6333.

Before you start, you will need your child's:

Passport, permanent resident card, landing form or any other immigration document stating student status in Canada
Proof of age (e.g., birth certificates or passports)
Immunization records
Proof of address
Prior education records if available (e.g., report cards or transcripts)

Elementary School referral and assessment

Before your assessment, your family and child will arrive at your home school to register your child. With your permission, your home school shares the registration information with the Newcomer Welcome Centre. They will arrange an English and Math assessment at a convenient time for you.

On the day of the assessment, you will arrive to the Newcomer Welcome Centre at the agreed upon appointment time. You will meet with the NWC Assessment Teacher who will assess your child's level of English language proficiency and knowledge of mathematics.

After the assessment, the NWC Assessment Teacher will discuss the recommendations and rationale with you and communicate the appropriate support recommendations and suggested procedures with your registered school.

Secondary School referral and assessment

Please contact the Newcomer Reception Centre at 519-985-6333 to book an assessment appointment for your child. Once you have booked your appointment, NWC staff or an interpreter will contact you to confirm the date and the time of the assessment. If necessary, we can arrange for an interpreter to be present before, during or after the assessment.

On the day of the assessment, you should arrive to the Newcomer Welcome Centre at the appointment time. The NWC Assessment Teacher will interview each student and assess their level of English language proficiency and knowledge of mathematics. The secondary school pathway planning process starts as well, and we will discuss course choices and post-secondary destinations.

After the assessment, the NWC Assessment Teacher will discuss placement recommendations and rationale with you and communicate them to the school of registration as well as suggested procedures.