Alarm clocks were buzzing bright and early Tuesday morning up and down the Coast as students and parents prepared for the first day of the 2010/11 school year.
The first day of school can be an exciting one for students, and although it is not a new calendar year, a new school year helps trigger a fresh start and marks the beginning of after school programs, sports, extra curricular activities and community groups like Scouts, Girl Guides and cadets. The summer, sadly, has come to an end and it's time to sharpen pencils and hit the books.
The Sunshine Coast's youngest students are experiencing a major change, as six of nine elementary schools are offering full-day kindergarten.
Many experts believe full-day kindergarten will give students a competitive edge in the long term. Research shows that brain development in the early years affects everything from behaviour to mental and physical health.
The provincial government is committing $280 million over three years to implement full-day K for all five-year-olds in B.C. It has also earmarked $144.5 million for preparing new classroom space.
By next year, all schools in SD46 will offer full-day K.
Full-day K is not without its detractors. Concerns have been raised by some parents about the wisdom of having such young children in full-day programs. And in districts such as SD46, where small class sizes may require blended kindergarten and Grade 1 classes, educators have raised concerns about how two fundamentally-different curricula can be well taught, when teachers don't have a half-day alone with their Grade 1 students.
And full-day K is not the only adjustment for our district. Last year, trustees, educators, parents and students went through an emotional school-closures debate, which stemmed from a serious decline in student enrolment plus a Ministry of Education funding crunch. The debate resulted in a restructuring of several schools.
While everyone seems to have an opinion on full-day K and restructuring, it's time to end those debates. We see this year as a chance for a fresh start for SD46. With strong support from families, teachers and administrators, students can enjoy their time in school and SD46 can get back to celebrating education and student achievements rather than talking about budgets and school closures.
