The movie has Mr. D's birthday being 1967, making him either 37 or 38 at the time of the movie. However, Ryan's birthday is Oct, 23, 1976, meaning he would have just turned 28 when the movie was released in February of 2005. This also makes this movie one of the few where Ryan plays a character older than himself.
Dylan mentions that Chase believes his family is akin to The Addams Family. John Astin, who appears as Stormin' Norman Warner, Dylan's grandfather, in this movie, starred as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family (1964).
Despite being filmed in Vancouver, Canada, and possibly set there according to the school system, Mr. D's address indicates that the film takes place in Fallbrook, PA, 16323. However, the zip code 16323 is in Franklin, PA, and Fallbrook, PA doesn't exist, although there is a Fallbrook in California, Texas, and Ontario.
Viewers who recognize actor Ryan Reynolds will realize that, as Dylan is leaving after the grave-side service for his grandfather, he first meets Mr. D who is going to the grave to pay his own respects (at around 07 mins).
The US Copyright Office records (at cocatalog.loc.gov) show a Motion Picture entry with Title "School of life", Registration Number / Date "PA0001334640/2006-06-13", Description "Videodisc (DVD)", Copyright Claimant "School of Life Productions, Inc.", Date of Creation "2004", and Date of Publication "2005-02-19" (the movie's premiere date on ABC Family cable network). The Canadian Copyright Register (Canadian Intellectual Property Office) does not list any motion picture copyright for "School of Life". Thus neither listings supports the 2003 copyright shown on-print in the ending credits at 1:50:28.