This article shows how complicated it will be for school boards to do something they haven’t done before – provide an integrated day for children to 6 p.m.

Worth noting that the Pascal report did not call for “after-school” care but that that young children have access to one program, curriculum and staff team for a half-day, full-day or extended day.

The article also shows the challenge of ensuring community based child care programs remain viable, perhaps serving a different age group of children.

To read the full article, please click here

This article shows change is hard for many institutions, including school boards.  

Those same schools are already educating students for a half day. Keeping the children in one place, with one curriculum and a team of teachers will help children with consistency and quality of care.

The Government has been considering this issue for a long time – the commitment by the McGunity government was made in 2007. Dr. Pascal was appointed and studied the issue for over a year.

His report came out in June. The Government announced the intentions to implement his report in October. School boards will be funded to set up the program for 15% of all students for next September.  

Our priority must be to have a great Early Learning Program that children and families are very happy with while sustaining a strong and viable child care system for younger children.  

To read the full article, please click here

On Tuesday December 15, please call Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne’s office Phone: 416-325-6200
Toll-Free:1-800-387-5514

It is important, because…
* Ontario’s Early Learning Program Needs to be Properly Funded
* The Ontario Government Needs to Respect the Skills and Experience of ECE’s » Continue reading “Action Alert for Early Childhood Educators!”

Now available in French and English online,
Please click here to view the curriculum
for the full-day learning program by Dr. Charles Pascal

» Continue reading “The curriculum for the full-day learning program is now available”

The next provincial election is almost two years away but McGuinty’s team is already strategizing how to win a historic third straight majority.

Don Guy, the premier’s former chief of staff and central architect of the successful 2003 and 2007 campaigns, has signed on to run the October 2011 effort.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so engaged,” added another Liberal, noting the premier is especially excited about the all-day kindergarten initiative to begin next fall. “Full-day learning (for those 4 and 5) is something he believes strongly in and wants to see it through.”said one senior Liberal, who will play a prominent role in the re-election campaign.

To read the full article, please click here

This article shows how popular many of us think the new Early Learning Program will be with parents.

Attention parents – you should know the Pascal report recommend the Early Learning Program operate in the summer and on school holidays.

Make your voice heard – tell your provincial MPP that you want to see full-year care for young children!

To read the full article, please click here

Local school boards are not making any commitments outside the regular transportation policy because government funding during this first phase of implementation is limited and still unclear in some cost areas.

” Individual school boards will have to decide if transportation will be offered to families that opt out of the program all-together”, said MacNeil, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.

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Note the costs per class and French as a second language because it is in Ottawa. Different school boards will have different priorities:

“The full cost won’t be tallied until budget time in the spring, but it is estimated at about $101,000 for each class, including teacher and early childhood educator salaries and prep time. Using those figures, the cost of 50 new kindergarten classrooms will be $5.08 million — $110,000 less than the province is funding, said the report.There are numerous issues that will need to be resolved over the next few months, including developing new curriculum, managing the French as a Second Language component, adding the early childhood educators to the organization, managing new before- and after-school programs and working with area child-care providers. ”

To read the full article, please click here

For a pdf copy of this bulletin, please click here.

Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

Implementing Early Learning – Bulletin #2

Funding and Quality » Continue reading “Implementing Early Learning – Bulletin #2″

In a series of memos (called B Memos), the Ministry of Education has provided local school boards with information implemeting the full-day learning program for 4 and 5 year olds in schools. » Continue reading “Operating Funding Benchmarks set sub-standard wage for Registered ECE’s”