Board chair hopes province will fund Kids at Play program

Seine River school trustees are not ready to decide about the future of the Kids at Play (KAP) program. 

Board chair Wendy Bloomfield notes a motion had been made to end the program when this school year wraps up. 

“The motion came up at the last meeting and has been deferred until after the funding announcement and we receive all the survey information,” she says. 

Residents within the division have been given the opportunity to participate in a public budget consultation survey. 

The responses are being compiled into a report to be presented to the school board. 

Bloomfield says they are hoping for financial support to allow this program to continue. 

“It gives children a much better start to school and getting them ready to be able to learn to read and socialize and be ready for grade one.” 

The Seine River School Division is operating with a $1.45 million deficit which is estimated to increase to $5 million by the end of June. 

Some cuts will have to be made but Bloomfield is hoping the province will find a way to fund the Kids at Play program which is a play-based program that offsets half-day Kindergarten programs across the division.  

Kindergarten is offered by certified teachers delivering provincial curriculum, while KAP is offered by individuals who are trained and certified as early childhood educators, offering a play-based educational program for children. 

Before the end of January, the province is expected to announce education funding for the upcoming school year.