Seamless kindergarten pilot program for Haida Gwaii

The provincial Seamless Day Kindergarten(SDK) pilot program is expanding to School District 50 in Haida Gwaii, The Ministry of Education announced, on Oct. 18.

The SDK pilot program will employ certified early childhood educators to provide before-and-after-school care in kindergarten classrooms and will also support learning alongside the classroom teacher. The program makes use of existing classrooms, outside of school hours, and does not require new rooms or buildings, the Ministry stated.

Jennifer Whitehead, minister of education, said she is thrilled with the SDK’s success and due to the momentum of the program it is being expanded from four to 25 locations.

“This program gives children continuity throughout the day on their learning journey. Access to quality, inclusive care and early learning is critical in supporting parents, particularly mothers, to pursue career or education goals while being confident that their kids are being cared for,” she said.

The expansion of the program will continue to foster connections between the education and child care sectors. This is part of the government’s 10-year ChildCare BC plan, as the Province works to build an inclusive universal child care system that meets B.C. communities’ growing child care needs.

“Too many parents still don’t have access to the before-and after-school care they need,” Katrina Chen, minister of state for child care, said. “Using existing classrooms means we can create new spaces quickly, and it will make it easier for busy parents to get to work and have peace of mind knowing their kids are cared for and learning, all in one spot.”