School District 8 will be partnering with Kootenay Kids to provide a free Ministry of Education child care program for pre-school children aged infancy to five years old.
“I am pleased that SD8 is now offering the StrongStart program at South Nelson Elementary,” says district principal Naomi Ross. “This will allow more families to begin their learning journey in our district.”
According to a media release, the StrongStart program will help students prepare for success as they enter kindergarten through social activities including stories, music and art.
“The program invites children, and their parents, grandparents or caregivers to enjoy play time, circle time with songs and stories, and crafts,” says Ross.
According to the release, StrongStart isn’t a new program to SD8 but the venue is a new one and will allow a greater opportunity for families to integrate with the school environment.
“I am excited about the new location at South Nelson Elementary,” says Jen Popoff, Kootenay Kids worker. “This will give families an opportunity to attend the program at their catchment school and get them comfortable with the environment.”
Popoff says this will also allow families to access more sessions, which in turn will be a great addition to the program.
StrongStart provides rich learning environments designed for early learning development by qualified early childhood educators, the school district said
StrongStart has 329 programs offered across the province, with 13 of them in SD8 (Kootenay Lake).