Kindergarten to go to full-day program

The P.E.I. government is endorsing the direction of the report of its kindergarten commissioner,and supporting herrecommendation thatthe program go to a full day.

Pat Mella's report on moving kindergarten into the schools was released Monday at a news conference in Summerside. The provincial kindergarten curriculum is currently delivered through private schools and daycares.

Mella has recommended the current half-day program move to a full day, and suggested that French immersion, which currently begins at Grade 1, start in kindergarten.

Mella devotes considerable space in her report on how to move current kindergarten teachers, most of whom do not have a B.Ed., into the school system. School teachers currently require a B.Ed., and Mella suggests that continue for kindergarten teachers, who currently more typically have specialties in early childhood education.

Mella recommends that kindergarten teachers be licensed on an interim basis, and be given six years to earn their B.Ed. UPEI would be asked to create a flexible program allowing kindergarten teachers to get their degrees.

In response to the report, the government said in a news release current kindergarten teachers will be considered first for the new teaching positions in the school system.

"Government understands the vital importance of early childhood education," said Ghiz.

"We are committed to working closely with the sector to identify and address training needs."

Making space

The report contains specifics about student-teacher ratios and how much classroom space should be provided.

Mella recommends kindergarten classes with single teachers should have no more than 15 students. If two qualified teachers are team teaching a class there should be no more than 24 students.

The report also suggests a standard of classroom space slightly higher than the national average: 3.5 square metres per student as opposed to 3.2. Mella writes that this should be considered a minimum.

The space, she writes, is required for the Department of Education's play-based curriculum. In particular, each kindergarten classroom "should be provided with sufficient space to accommodate at least five activity centres in an efficient and appropriate layout."

Delayed start for students

Parents should be given the choice to delay their child's entry into kindergarten.

The report recommends if parents choose they may hold their children back for one year, if they feel it is in the best interests of the child.

Mella also addresses transportation issues, which was a topic for discussion when the Eastern School District moved to close eight schools this year. Many parents expressed their concern school bus rides would be too long.

Mella recommends school boards develop plans to reduce the duration of bus runs to meet a target of no more than one hour one-way for bus routes transporting kindergarten-aged children.

The province is following up the report with a kindergarten transition team and nine work groups. They will begin work immediately to draft plans in such areas as supports for students with special needs, teacher training programs and certification levels, and transition issues for early childhood centres.

The work groups include representatives of government, school boards, UPEI, Holland College, Collge Acadie, the Early Childhood Development Association, Early Learning Operators of P.E.I., CUPE, the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, P.E.I. Home and School Federation, Fderation des parents and Canadian Parents for French.