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SIDNEY – Saanich North and the Islands MLA Murray Coell joined Saanich board of education chair MaryLynne Rimer, parents, caregivers and district staff today at the official opening of the Province’s StrongStart BC early learning centre at Sidney elementary school.
“The Sidney StrongStart BC centre is providing parents and caregivers with yet another way to support their child’s early learning,” said Coell. “By working together with the school district and community, our government is helping young learners to start school with the skills they need for success in life.”
The Sidney StrongStart BC centre offers a free drop-in program for parents or caregivers and their children. A qualified early childhood educator leads activities, including stories, music, and arts, to help children grow linguistically, physically and socially, and become comfortable in a school-like setting.
All of B.C.'s 60 school districts have been offered the opportunity to participate in the StrongStart BC program. The Province provided $5 million to support the expansion of StrongStart BC centres in 2007-08 as part of ReadNow BC, the provincial literacy plan. The B.C. government has committed $38 million to fulfil a 2008 throne speech commitment to expand StrongStart BC to 400 centres by 2010.
“It’s unfortunate that one in every four B.C. children is not developmentally ready to enter kindergarten,” said Education Minister Shirley Bond. “StrongStart BC centres are helping to give children the skills they will need for success in school and enjoyment of lifelong learning.”
The Saanich school district has received $50,000 for the Sidney StrongStart BC centre. This includes $20,000 to prepare the Sidney elementary in-school space, including renovations and the purchase of new equipment and learning materials and $30,000 to fund this year's operating costs, including staff, professional development, supplies and healthy snacks.
“We are thrilled to be supporting the healthy development of young children in our district through the StrongStart BC centre,” said Rimer. “Our partnership with the early childhood community will be a key factor in its success."
StrongStart BC centres help fulfil government’s election platform and throne speech commitments to use underutilized school district space as centres to deliver early learning services.
The StrongStart BC centres help the Province reach its goal of making B.C. the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent. Since 2001, government has invested more than $131 million in new literacy initiatives, including pre-literacy and early learning programs such as $9.5 million to operate the kindergarten readiness program Ready, Set, Learn and $2.7 million for the ActNow Literacy Education Activity and Play (LEAP BC) program that encourages literacy, physical activity and healthy eating in preschool-aged children.
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Ministry of Education 250 356-5963 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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