Kitchener High School (WRDSB)

Homes for Sale Near Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School

Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI) is a historic public high school (Grades 9 to 12) on King Street near Downtown Kitchener, first opened in 1855. It is run by the Waterloo Region District School Board and offers French Immersion, Extended French, seven Specialist High Skills Majors and a wide range of technical programs, with ION light rail right outside. Below are current listings near the school, plus the neighbourhoods zoned for it.

By George Dmitrovic, Realtor with Keller Williams Innovation Realty. Updated October 2026. Jump to the KCI guide

KCI at a Glance

School board

Waterloo Region District School Board (public)

Grades

9 to 12

Location

King Street near Downtown Kitchener, close to ION’s Grand River Hospital station

Programs

French Immersion, Extended French, Fast Forward, AP French exam, seven SHSMs, OYAP, co-op

Zoned neighbourhoods

Cherry Hill, Midtown (Mount Hope), Westmount and parts of Uptown Waterloo (confirm by address)

School facts

Opened 1855; the Raiders; alumni include PM William Lyon Mackenzie King

Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, known as KCI, is a Waterloo Region District School Board high school for Grades 9 to 12 at 787 King Street West, between Downtown Kitchener and Uptown Waterloo. It began as the Berlin Grammar School in 1855, and today it is the only Waterloo Region District School Board high school in Kitchener-Waterloo with French Immersion. Here is what families should know before buying nearby.

About KCI

KCI has about 1,500 students, according to the school’s website. Its teams are the Raiders, and it describes itself as “ONE KCI”, a welcoming and inclusive school. The building sits on King Street West a short walk from the WRHN @ Midtown hospital, and the school notes that the arrival of ION, with Grand River Hospital Station in the middle of King Street right outside, is one of the biggest changes in its long history.

Programs listed on the school’s own website include:

French Immersion and Extended French: Immersion students earn at least 10 credits taught in French, and Extended French students at least 7. Students coming from elementary French Immersion can apply. In Grade 12, students can also write the Advanced Placement French exam. KCI does not offer other AP courses.
Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM): seven majors, in Environment, Construction, Health and Wellness, Hospitality and Tourism, Information and Communications Technology, Non-profit (in English and French Immersion), and Transportation.
Fast Forward: a four to five year school-to-work program for hands-on learners heading straight to the workplace. KCI is one of five WRDSB schools that offer it. Students apply through their guidance counsellor.
OYAP and co-op: the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program lets students start an apprenticeship while in high school, alongside co-op placements.
Learning Services: support for students with an IEP, plus an ACE (Life Skills) program and hearing services.

How KCI Rates

KCI is rated 7.4 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute’s latest report card on Ontario secondary schools, which uses 2023-2024 results. That is second among Kitchener’s English-language public high schools, just behind Cameron Heights (7.5), and ahead of Waterloo CI (6.2) and Forest Heights CI (4.9).

The rating is built mostly from provincial test results, so it says little about French Immersion, the trades programs or how the school supports students who need extra help. Use it as one measure among many. My guide to high schools in Kitchener-Waterloo compares the options.

Which Neighbourhoods Feed Into KCI?

KCI draws from central Kitchener and the south end of Waterloo. The elementary schools’ own websites confirm these pathways:

MacGregor Senior Public School (Grades 7 and 8, Waterloo): takes students from Westmount, Empire, Elizabeth Ziegler and other schools, and most graduates go to KCI or Waterloo CI. That covers much of Westmount and Uptown Waterloo. MacGregor also offers French Immersion for Grades 7 and 8.
Empire Public School (Waterloo): Centennial or MacGregor for Grades 7 and 8, then Waterloo CI or KCI.
Hillside Public School (Chopin Drive, Kitchener, JK to Grade 8): most Grade 8 students go on to KCI.

Nearby Cherry Hill and Midtown (Mount Hope) are the closest neighbourhoods to the school, but boundaries here are split between KCI, Waterloo CI, Forest Heights CI and Cameron Heights, so check every address. French Immersion students from across Kitchener and Waterloo come to KCI for the program, since it is one of only two WRDSB high schools with secondary Immersion (the other is Galt CI in Cambridge).

Use the WRDSB School Eligibility tool on the board’s school boundary page to check an address. Out-of-boundary requests depend on space, and the board does not provide transportation for them. No boundary review currently covers KCI.

Homes Near KCI

Around the school you will find older homes on mature streets, low-rise apartments and newer condos along the ION line. In the MLS district that includes the school’s area (313 Downtown Kitchener/W. Ward), the median sale price for a detached home was $665,000 over the 12 months to September 2026, and $348,000 for a condo apartment, based on George’s analysis of ITSO MLS sales. That district also covers part of downtown, which pulls the condo figure toward downtown towers.

On the Waterloo side, in 415 Uptown Waterloo/Westmount, the detached median was $869,000, townhouses $901,000 and condo apartments $470,000. See the full price table or browse homes by school district.

Is KCI a Good Fit for Your Family?

KCI suits families who want French Immersion through Grade 12, teens interested in the trades through SHSM, OYAP or Fast Forward, and students who want a long-established school with a full sports program. Its Fraser rating is among the best for public high schools in Kitchener, and ION stops at the front door.

The trade-offs: there is no IB program (that is at Cameron Heights) and only the AP French exam, not full AP courses. Boundaries in this part of the city split between several high schools, and detached homes on the Waterloo side of the zone cost noticeably more than on the Kitchener side.

If you are weighing school areas, my guide to French schools in Kitchener-Waterloo may help, or book a free call and we’ll talk it through.

Originally written by Will Kummer for WRX Property Group and fully updated by George Dmitrovic in October 2026.

Neighbourhoods Zoned for KCI

What Clients Are Saying

Five-star Google reviews from Kitchener-Waterloo buyers and sellers George has helped.

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KCI FAQs

Answers to the questions families ask most about KCI and buying a home nearby.

Where is KCI?

KCI is at 787 King Street West in Kitchener, between Downtown Kitchener and Uptown Waterloo, a short walk from the WRHN @ Midtown hospital. ION’s Grand River Hospital Station sits in the middle of King Street right outside, so students can ride light rail to either downtown in a few minutes.

Which neighbourhoods are zoned for KCI?

KCI serves central Kitchener and south Waterloo. Confirmed pathways include Hillside PS and MacGregor Senior PS, which takes students from Westmount, Empire and Elizabeth Ziegler, though MacGregor graduates split between KCI and Waterloo CI. Cherry Hill and Mount Hope are closest to the school. Always check an address with the WRDSB School Eligibility tool.

Does KCI offer French Immersion?

Yes. KCI offers both French Immersion and Extended French. Immersion students take at least 10 credits in French and Extended French students at least 7. It is one of only two WRDSB high schools with Immersion, along with Galt CI, so it draws Immersion students from across Kitchener and Waterloo.

How old is KCI?

KCI traces its roots to 1855, when it began as the Berlin Grammar School, back when Kitchener was still called Berlin. The school itself describes more than 165 years of history. It now has about 1,500 students, and its teams play as the Raiders.

What academic programs does KCI offer?

Besides the regular diploma program, KCI offers French Immersion and Extended French, seven Specialist High Skills Majors, co-op, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and Fast Forward, a school-to-work program at five WRDSB schools. Grade 12 students can write the Advanced Placement French exam, but KCI does not run AP courses.

Does KCI support students with special education needs?

Yes. KCI’s Learning Services team supports students with an IEP and others referred by parents or teachers, with help on organization, study skills, test-taking and self-advocacy. The school also lists an ACE (Life Skills) program, hearing services and a quiet room for students with environmental sensitivities.

How has KCI done academically?

KCI scored 7.4 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute’s latest secondary school report card, which uses 2023-2024 results. Among Kitchener’s English-language public high schools, only Cameron Heights scored higher, at 7.5. The rating mostly reflects provincial test results, so weigh programs and fit too.

Which Catholic high schools serve the same area?

It depends on the address. St. David Catholic Secondary School in Waterloo takes students from St. Teresa in Kitchener and Waterloo schools such as St. Agnes, St. Luke and St. Matthew. Other central Kitchener addresses may be served by Resurrection or St. Mary’s. Confirm with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.