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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2009-11-11, Page 11News ..,vy. ,.._e2.ply...s.i�M.Mr•JL'�ts![ '!.<i+...+� jr d . ... The Huron Expositor • November 11, 2009 Page 11 Avon Maitland prepares for full-day Kindergarten program Small pilot in Goderich determining best way to expand program throughout Huron Stew Slater In an effort to prepare for the pro- vincial government's step-by-step implementation of full-day, all -day programming for Kindergarten -aged children, the Avon Maitland District School Board will begin a small pilot project in January in a Goderich el- ementary school. "The prime goal of this pilot is to learn how best to implement all -day Kindergarten in Huron County," ex- plained. education superintendent Pat Stanley during a regular board meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13. The ruling Liberals have commit- ted to providing full-day program- ming — a combination of childcare and educational styles — for four and five year-olds across Ontario begin- ning in September, 2010. Since the announcement of that commitment over a year ago, how- ever, a once aggressive timetable and program scope has been scaled back. It's now expected that funding will be made available to school boards over three years to gradually phase in the programming. Nonetheless, school boards across the province are preparing to bring in some form of all -day, every -day Kindergarten programming next September, at least at some sites. And, according to Stanley, the Avon Maitland board hopes its Goderich pilot project — to run from January through June, 2010 — will ser:e as effective preparation for implement- ing the government -mandated ver - NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING • For SEAFORTH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY Will be held on November le, 2009 at the Agriplex Social hour at 6:30 p.m. Dinner at 7:00 p.m. Guest Speaker and Annual Meeting to receive the annual Financial Report and election of Directors to follow. Advanced Dinner tickets from the Office or Directors $12.00 each. phone: 519-527-1321 sion. About 20 Kindergarten currently attending Victo- ria Public School (now called Goderich Public School, as part of the transition to consoli- dating two of the com- munity's elementary schools) will partici- pate in the pilot proj- ect. Already, these stu- dents remain in the school • building on off -days as part of the Best Start childcare program; beginning in January, that will be replaced by the pilot project. As with Huron County's version of the provincially -funded and municipally -admin- istered Best Start, the pilot project will be operated in cooperation with Huron County Children's Services. This situation, explained Stanley, is in keeping with the Education Ministry's goal of combining the re - students vised Kindergarten programming with the expertise available from other social service providers. "Funding will be sup- ported by a combination of parent fees, fee subsi- dies and dollars from the three partners," states a report delivered at the meeting by Stanley. The programming will not be mandatory — which is also true of the planned province -wide version. Asked by trustees about the cost of renova- tions to Victoria Public School, the superinten- dent noted that's one reason why the Goder- ich school was chosen: `Funding will be supported bya combination. of • parent fees, fee subsidies and dollars from three partners,' - Superintendent Pat Stanley with the Best Start space already in use, no renovations will be necessary. In an interview after the meeting, Stanley said she expected specific board -by -board funding announce - r 4th ANNIVERSARY SALE CASH ANS CARRY CLEARANCE SBE€11:D IT HUGE SAVINGS! COME NITORE111 IIENSALL, ON r 519-2624380 — FAX 519-2624390 ments for 2010-2011 from the Edu- cation Ministry within days. The timing will allow administra- tors to decide where they will begin phasing in the full programming be- ginning next September. "This board typically receives about one per cent of the provincial fund- ing announcements, based on its en- rolment," she said of the Avon Mait- land board. "If that holds true, and (the government) follows through on what we believe they will for overall funding, we're hoping to have ap- proximately $200,000 come here." McKILLOP 1 I MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Box 819, 91 Main St. S., SEAFORTH 519-527-0400 1-800-463-9204 • FARM • HOME • AUTO • COMMERCIAL Fax 519-527-2777 www.mckillopmutual.com Serving You Since 1876 Insurance for Living Today... (n,are S!t CCirriftliir:it14:4 aCr'.7ik-i ti-xa ,e^. rrM6RCe, . rid }tteitt t)eof: tor :ertr?r.itx>rrr, '•. <kA (x.. i rt tetXsui (eSidt:;;rt<gna',i%i, S.iircif<ii4)7 £ttGt!£::r{g h xkoy. end <i.tttift<f ttXi?ther :it tt3r3 f:nf?E'.t ti+,q>. V41.0 a <t :::£.xr£mss>ti�t:t:r!.g sl t'•; if1.5)( s'it; j. 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