May 12th, 2015

84 Schools Offering Child Care for Families Next Year

Kitchener, ON:

The Waterloo Region District School Board is pleased to announce that 84 schools will offer Extended Day Programs for the 2015-16 school year. This means that 98% of the board’s Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2 students will have access to high quality, affordable child care in their school.

In addition, 53 schools will operate Youth Development Programs for Grades 3-6. This program supports development through programming that combines student interests and activities, including creative arts, physical activity, and social and emotional development.

Quick Facts

  • Full Day Kindergarten Teams consist of a full time Kindergarten teacher and a Designated Childhood Educator. The team works together to plan, deliver, assess, and communicate about student learning
  • Based on Dr. Charles Pascal’s report, With our Best Futures in Mind, Full Day Kindergarten and Extended Day Programs provides children with high quality, seamless programming that help build cognitive, social and emotional skills through play-based learning
  • In 2010, before the implementation of Extended Day Programs, only 9% of students in JK-Grade 2 had access to licensed child care programs in their school.

Quotes

“Five years ago, before the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten, less than 10% of our schools offered an extended day program for young children that supported the child care needs of our families. Today, parents can access high quality programs in their child’s school, providing a seamless transition to the school day, and creating a solid foundation for student achievement and well-being. We are proud of all of the staff, trustees, families, and community partners who have assisted us in the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten and our Extended Day Programs.”

–          Mary Lou Mackie, executive superintendent of education

Related Information

For more information and resources on Full Day Kindergarten and Extended Day Programs in the WRDSB, visit us at www.wrdsb.ca/earlylearning and www.wrdsb.ca/beforeafter