Top schools for all-day kindergarten outlined
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: October 20, 2009 6:02 PM
Quadra elementary tops the list of schools ready to offer all-day kindergarten next fall.
Greater Victoria school district superintendent John Gaiptman unveiled the list, in order of priority, to board of education trustees Monday.
"This is only to (determine) which school can have all-day (kindergarten) in September 2010, knowing that all schools will have all-day (kindergarten) by September 2011," Gaiptman said.
The top five school's on Gaiptman's list are Quadra, George Jay, Craigflower, Macaulay and James Bay.
The schools were prioritized by available space and number of aboriginal, ESL or "vulnerable" students.
Elementary schools such as Quadra and Macaulay that offer French immersion kindergarten will continue under the all-day model.
School districts must file a report to the Education by Nov. 1 on schools that could support the program next fall. The ministry expects to make a decision on which schools will start the all-day model by December.
The Education Ministry has pledged $44 million to start the all-day kindergarten program next September, and a ministry spokesperson says that amount should cover costs of the program in about half of B.C. schools.
For the 2011-12 school year, the ministry has budgeted $107 million for all-day kindergarten in all B.C. schools.
In order to instate all-day kindergarten, some Greater Victoria schools will need to re-equip classrooms, with an average cost estimated at $16,000.
Education board chair Tom Ferris said kindergarten teachers know better than to maintain a classroom-like intensity for five year olds for a full day.
"I think educators recognize what the needs of these children are. They'll get appropriate downtime so they're not on the go all day," said Ferris.
The Education Ministry has also asked school districts to consider before- and after-school care for all-day kindergarten students to ease the burden on working parents.
ecardone@vicnews.com
v2
