A Full Day Kindergarten Option for 3, 4 and 5 year olds:
What could it mean for Quadra?
--submitted by Lisa Scalapino, Coordinator, Understanding the Early Years

In February 2008, the Throne Speech called for the creation of an Early
Childhood Learning Agency to “assess the feasibility and costs of full school day
Kindergarten for five-year-olds” and to conduct a “feasibility study of providing
parents with the choice of day-long kindergarten for four-year-olds by 2010, and
for three-year-olds by 2012.” The Agency is now calling on communities across BC to offer their input.

For Quadra, the stakes are high. Right now, one in four children in our Northern Gulf Islands (which include Quadra and Cortes) arrive at Kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed. (University of BC, Human Early Learning Partnership, 2006) What will happen next? Will full day Kindergarten make this situation better or worse? Below are a few of the many thoughts that have emerged from an initial Quadra community meeting:

Q: What could be the risks?

A: A low teacher-child ratio is key to providing quality care for 3 and 4 year old children. In recent years, teachers have fought to lower the student-teacher ratio. Could the Ministry of Education afford this?

A: Aboriginal early years programs such as HeadStart make language and culture a centerpiece. The fear is that if Aboriginal programs are replaced by full day Kindergarten this important focus would be lost.

A: A free Kindergarten program could offer welcome relief to families struggling with child care costs, but existing child care programs cannot survive by operating only before and after school. What would families do?

Q: What could be the benefits?

A: Right now some children enter Kindergarten with a vocabulary of 500 words while others enter with 5000 words. Those who start off behind often never catch up. Could the strong, supportive relationship that Quadra Elementary School has with existing child care programs lead to even stronger and better funded options for families?

A: Right now, our local child care centres struggle to attract qualified staff as wages can be as low as $8/hour. Could full day Kindergarten create a new group of early childhood educators by offering them the same pay and the same professional standards as teachers?

A: Today, a child between the ages of 18 months and 5 years has no routine check up to screen for developmental delays. Could full day Kindergarten provide such a check point and offer early intervention when it matters most?

To find out more about this possible full day Kindergarten option and to offer your input go to www.bced.gov.bc.ca/ecla/ or write

Early Childhood Learning Agency
Ministry of Education
Box 9158 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W-9H3

For a copy of the meeting notes from the July 10th full day Kindergarten community meeting, please contact Lisa or Cheryl (see below for contact information).

Understanding the Early Years and Success By 6 are bringing the community together in dialogue, planning and action to help our children succeed in life. Understanding the Early Years is funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada, www.hrsdc.ca. Contact Lisa Scalapino at 285-2314, ueylisagicable.com. Success By 6 in the Campbell River region is a partnership of the United Way, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, and Coastal Community Credit Union, www.successby6bc.ca. Contact Cheryl Jordan at 923-8815, clj2telus.net.