Work. Family. Life.

Why I chose not to fly across Canada this week for a Tweetup

If you know me at all; then you will know that I have a love affair that has been going on with Prince Edward Island for about ten years now.  Over the years I have visited PEI, lived there, been part of a small business that operated in Summerside and have generally come to consider myself a Part Time Islander By Choice.  There is little doubt that PEI is my second home.  So when @peihouses and @aprilennis (in above picture) began to coordinate the PEI Tweetup events, it only seemed to make sense that I would hop on a plane from Vancouver to be there.  I enjoyed having the chance to connect with so many of the people that I know or consider to be friends on the Island and felt it was a worthwhile investment in building face to face relationships.

Fast forward to today, to this PEI Tweetup, and you'll find that I won't be there in person tonight.  Why?  Well, that is because life is full of hard choices; especially when you are the owner of a small business.  Having recently made the decision to shift the focus of much of my work and to truly dive into tasks that are necessary, I realized that I would be smarter to invest my time and energy directly in my new business goals and the related planning.  I actually calculated the number of hours that I would lose by flying, sitting in airports and then recovering from the whole travel whirlwind and came to understand that the smart move would be to say "No" for this time.  Not an easy decision due to my strong connection to the Island and to my colleagues and friends who are there.  No, not easy - but smart for me and my business.  So for tonight, I will be content to follow the #PEITweetup hashtag and feel good thatwww.aprilandjane.ca helped to sponsor the PEI Twitter Awards for 2011.  I will also feel content knowing that I made the right decision for me and my business.

Are you the owner of a small business?  What hard decisions have you faced when trying to manage your business?

Reducing early vulnerability is the key to strong economic growth and development

 

From HELP website:

The government of B.C. has committed to lowering the provincial rate of early vulnerability to 15% by fiscal year 2015. This goal is both commendable and achievable.

With support from the Business Council of British Columbia, United Way of the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Foundation, HELP has completed a groundbreaking research project that quantifies the costs and benefits of addressing early vulnerability in BC.

The resulting report 15 by 15: A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC dramatically illustrates why all of us – individuals, businesses and governments – should care about the real brain drain in BC today resulting from early vulnerability.

Here is the 2009 Strategic Plan for BC that shows the goal of reducing early vulnerability in young children to 15% by 2015.  See page 22 Download Strategic_Plan_Sept_2009

Private schools step up in fight to protect government funding

Private schools are fighting back against public school supporters seeking to convince the provincial government to stop funding private schools.

The B.C. School Trustees' Association passed a resolution to ask the Ministry of Education to redirect money spent on independent schools to the public education system at its annual general meeting April 23 to 25. The subject generated an hour-long debate and the vote was close, but the resolution carried.

Most private schools earn between 35 and 50 per cent of per student funding that public school students get. Tuition on top of that can vary from about $2,000 a year to $23,000.

In late March, the Federation of Independent School Associations sent its members an 11-point defence of funding to private schools, which typically call themselves independent schools. The letter says education offered by the independent sector is education for the public good and that governments providing money to the non-government sector is a common way to provide services for the public good.

"Obviously, over the long run, if we say nothing the pressure from one side will prevail...so yeah, we're pushing back," said Fred Herfst, executive director of the Federation of Independent School Associations Monday.

The Federation represents 285 independent schools in B.C., enrolling 64,000 students-92 per cent

via www2.canada.com

ECEBC seeking nominations for Board positions

How many students attend independent schools in BC? Lots!

In follow-up to my earlier post on the growth of Independent schools in BC here is some info from FISA on the history of the number of students enrolled in this system.

History of independent school growth in BC

The following chart from FISA (Federation of Independent Schools) in BC demonstrates that BC has experienced a fairly steady growth of Independent School choices over the years.  Independent Schools in BC have the opportunity to receive up to 50% of the public school operating funding on an annual basis; depending upon the school classification. This level of government support encourages a wide range of school choices for children and families - in both the private and independent school systems.

Should there be more independent school choices on PEI? What do you think?

This comment was posted on the recent CBC article about the children Autism being unfairly removed from PEI schools for extended periods of time. 

Where is the Autism Strategy that the PEI government have long been talking about? Families who have child(ren) with ASD are faced with ongoing challenges and barriers from long before their children even enter the public school system. By the time many of these children hit the public system their families are exhausted by all that they have had to do to get any measures of support in place for their child. It seems that there are endless waiting lists to access what little supports exist. Once a child transitions into the public school system the supports and communications are often even further strained. Of course, the school boards are trying to do the best they can with the limited resources that they have. This is an issue not only on PEI but across Canada. That said, sending children home because there is no better way to deal with the challenges is NOT the answer. It is time for PEI to start exploring a range of additional educational options for not only children with ASD, but for ALL Island children. The truth is that children and families have many different educational needs and requirements. Children have a range of learning styles and there are many special needs that must to be balanced. Why not start considering things such as partially funded Independent school choices - like in many other Canadian Provinces? This would allow a wider range of educational streams to develop in a progressive manner. Also; how about a program that allows children to be home schooled but still be considered to be part of the public system - connected to a local community school and under the guidance of a registered teacher. Additional options like these would surely be progress in the right direction. It is time for all Island families to expect more!

What do you think? 

Do you wonder where the Autism Strategy for PEI is?

Would you like to see more educational choices for all children on PEI?

What does your family need?

Success by Six funding cut debated in BC Legislature - March 24, 2010

The BC Government has announced that it will no longer fund Success by Six as of March 31, 2011 and that it is cutting the funding in half for 2011.  This issue came up in the BC legislature today and was debated.  Below is a draft transcript from that debate:

M. Karagianis: Success By 6 was a creation of this government in 2003. Now not only is their funding being cut in half this year; the entire program is being cancelled in March 2011. The coordinators of this program have worked tirelessly for six years to build relationships across government with business, with First Nations and the non-profit sector. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

The cancellation of this program will have a devastating effect on organizations already stripped to the bone by this government's cuts. How can the Minister of Children and Families justify eliminating funding to an organization that supports so many front-line services to families? [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

Hon. M. Polak: Success By 6 has been a tremendous partnership with the government of British Columbia, with credit unions, and we're proud that since 2003 we have invested $27 million in Success By 6. In addition to the $2½ million that Success By 6 will receive in a grant this year, we'll also be, across government, spending almost a billion dollars in early childhood development, child care services, children and youth with special needs. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

We will continue to work with Success By 6 as we look for opportunities to help them transition some of their programs in these difficult times. But there's no question that this is an area that we deem a priority, and we certainly invest more than the opposition ever did.  [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

Mr. Speaker: The member has a supplemental.  [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

M. Karagianis: So this minister admits that they're proud to have cut this program by 50 percent and that they are doing away with it by 2011? That's the kind of support that this minister offers to communities? The early childhood development provincial partnership has said that without the three partners in place — the United Way, the credit unions and, most importantly, the province of British Columbia — they will not be able to carry on, and Success By 6 will be dissolved along with 400 programs across this province that it serves. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

After six years the program is strong. It is delivering innovative programs to communities, and now the B.C. Liberals will cancel it outright. It does not make any sense. This is another bad decision by a government that proves over and over again that it does not care about supporting families and communities. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

I would ask the minister: will she stand today and reverse the decision and reinstate the funding for Success By 6?  [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

Hon. M. Polak: Year upon year since 2003 this government has responded by supporting Success By 6 with grants — year upon year upon year; grants that the opposition voted against every single time. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]

We will continue to be working with Success By 6 as they work with the $2.5 million grant we will provide this year in order to ensure that we help them to transition their programs and to look for opportunities to enhance community capacity-building across the province.

via www.leg.bc.ca

The wonder of the New Year or a sign of Spring?

One of the reasons I love Vancouver...the first daffodil in my garden is poking through on January 3!

Here are a few others that are springing up here and there...

ECEBC writes to Premier

November 20, 2009
 
 
OPEN LETTER TO THE PREMIER OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
 
 
Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier
Province of British Columbia
PO Box 9041 Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria, BC  V8W 9E1
 
 
Dear Premier Campbell,
 
The Early Childhood Educators of BC, writes to you today to outline concerns we have with the state of public policy and spending on programs for children in BC.  While we are more than aware of the deficit facing the taxpayers of BC and the challenges your government faces financially, none-the-less, we believe that some of the choices being made are detrimental to children’s health and BC’s family well-being.
 
While $300 million dollars per year is spent on child care in BC, $200 million of these funds are direct subsidy to low income families.  We know this funding is important for low income families, however it does not build a system, increase spaces to combat wait lists nor does it make child care affordable for families.  Wait lists are at crisis proportions in this province while early childhood educators are leaving the field as they cannot afford to make a living wage in the profession.  
 
Minor capital grants for child care centres have been decreased from $5000 per program  per year to $2000 per address per year. In 2008, and again in 2009, child care programs received child care enhancement funding though BC Council for Families.  This money is now gone.   All of these decreases and changes will impact programs’ ability to operate and parent fees will increase once again.  
 
Provincial offices of the infant development programs and supported child development have been eliminated without consultation with parents and programs.  We are told the MCFD Safe, Strong and Supported plan will address integrated service, but on the ground we have little information.  How will you ensure that children with special needs will receive specialized attention and service without the expertise of these important programs?
 

Finally and the most disturbing, for six years in a row, BC has recorded the highest child poverty rates in Canada.  How could you have allowed this to happen?  BC needs a comprehensive poverty reduction plan which must include the building of a quality, affordable child care system.   What are your immediate plans to address this situation? What is your plan to address the child care crisis in BC?
 
The lack of a comprehensive plan for early care and learning is simply unacceptable.  While we understand that the Ministry of Children and Family Development has completed their early years plan, it has not been shared publicly and therefore we are left in the dark as to the direction government plans to take regarding our young children.  With birth rates falling and baby boomers retiring, business leaders are raising the alarm bell regarding the lack of qualified workers in the province.  The absence of a plan for development of a comprehensive child care system is detrimental to the economy and to helping BC get back to a strong and viable economy.
 
Under the Ministry of Education, the development of all day kindergarten is a step in the right direction.  ECEBC has been supportive of the decision to develop all day kindergarten, but we are now increasingly alarmed that adequate planning and resources have not been directed to its development.  You have a huge opportunity to build a strong, comprehensive and full day system that will allow optimum development of five year olds and allow their parents to work or study.  
 
To do this well, requires adequate resources for renovating existing classrooms, hiring educators who are trained to work with this age group and ensure appropriate resources and equipment are in place to support their care and learning.  While we understand there will be a need for early childhood educators, the dearth of information and consultation is disconcerting.  What is the plan for all day kindergarten?  How will working parents be supported to have their children in all day kindergarten?  
 
The Early Childhood Educators of BC await your reply.
 
Yours truly,
 
 
Vi-Anne Zirnhelt
President of the Board

ECEBC -  2774 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC  V5M 1Y8  ·  P 604 709 6063 · F 604 709 6077 · TF 1800 797 5602 · www.ecebc.ca 

 

Full Day K - It's all or nothing say some West Van school trustees

The consensus around the board table was trustees would rather wait a year and have the province role out all-day kindergarten in all schools at once.

Next September urban areas could experience a migration of the kindergarten population to schools with all-day kindergarten leaving the ones without dry, education board trustee Barry Lindahl warned. Such an inflow or outflow could be disruptive to schools and districts.

“[West Van] is up the creek if [another district] gets it and we don’t,” Lindahl said.

The district doesn’t want to end up with a “have and have not” situation, the board’s vice-chair Cindy Dekker said.

“It ends up being frustrating,” she said.

via www.bclocalnews.com

Update from Ministry of Education (BC) on Full Day Kindergarten

The following information has been posted on the Government of BC website:

As Government announced in the 2009 Speech from the Throne, British Columbia is making full day kindergarten available to all five-year-olds in the province.

Schools have offered half day kindergarten for years.  Many schools have also offered full day programs for specific groups of children; it has been up to boards of education or individual schools to decide whether to include full day kindergarten in their education programs.

Now, the Ministry of Education is phasing in universal access over 2 years. Full day kindergarten will be available for up to half of B.C.’s eligible students in September 2010. By September 2011, full day kindergarten will be available across the province. It is still up to parents to decide whether to enrol their children in kindergarten, but by the 2011/12 school year it will be available to all who want it.

On October 2, 2009, the Ministry of Education held a forum for education stakeholders to discuss the implementation of universal full day kindergarten in British Columbia. A summary of the discussions and ideas is available online.

When are children eligible for kindergarten in British Columbia?

• Children who reach their 5th birthday within a calendar year are eligible to enrol in kindergarten in September of that year. For example, a child whose birthday is between January 1 and December 31, 2010, can enrol in September 2010 in kindergarten.

Do children have to go to kindergarten?

• It’s up to the parents or guardians. Kindergarten is optional in British Columbia. This will not change with the availability of universal full day kindergarten. Parents can choose to enrol a child in kindergarten in September of a given year if the child’s 5th birthday is in that calendar year. Or parents can wait until the next year, in which their children turn 6, to enrol them in Grade 1, in September of that year. Parents are encouraged to discuss enrolment with their local school district.

Don’t some students already go to full day kindergarten?

• Yes, but only in communities where boards of education or independent schools offer it. The Ministry has funded kindergarten for certain groups –children with special needs, those whose first language is not English and Aboriginal students – but again, only when boards or schools have chosen to offer it.
  
  The Province’s new policy will make full day kindergarten available to all children, not only those currently funded groups. Boards of education and independent school authorities will be required to offer full day programs to all kindergarten-eligible children by September 1, 2011.

Who decides where full day kindergarten will be available in the first year?

• Boards of education and independent school authorities will advise the Ministry which schools are ready to offer full day kindergarten programming in September 2010. The Ministry will use the information districts submit to determine where full day kindergarten will expand first.

  As a result, some schools in your community will offer full day kindergarten in the fall of 2010, and others not until the following year. The Province aims to offer full day kindergarten to everyone by 2011.

The Ministry has asked boards and schools to think about a range of possible considerations as they plan for Year One including:

• recruiting kindergarten teachers
• using available space for program expansion, including re-organizing the current use of classrooms and schools as needed

What if school districts do not have enough space for all their kindergarten students?

• The Ministry expects schools to use surplus classrooms for kindergarten expansion. They are also expected to preserve StrongStart BC programs and existing child care programs that use school space, as these are also important to early learning.
  
  The Ministry is working closely with school districts regarding space requirements for Year One, but cannot currently provide any new capital funding to build or purchase new classrooms. The Ministry has initiated an analysis of capital needs for full implementation in the second year of expansion (2011/12).

What if school districts don’t have enough teachers for full day kindergarten?

• The Ministry and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association are working together to provide support and tools to help meet recruitment needs.

How will full day kindergarten be funded?

• Schools are funded on a per-pupil basis.  Half day kindergarten is funded at half the basic full-time student allotment. Full day kindergarten is funded at the basic full time student allotment, or twice as much as the half-day kindergarten rate.

  Government has committed $151 million over two years in support of full day kindergarten.
  
  Plans are underway to address the need for resources, such as furniture and equipment, in classrooms that have not been used for kindergarten before.

When and how will we know which schools will have full day kindergarten in September 2010?

• Many school districts have been discussing and even planning activities since February 2008, when government initially announced it was studying the feasibility of full day kindergarten.

  Boards of education and independent schools were asked to submit proposals for the first year of expansion. Decisions should be made by the end of 2009, in time for kindergarten registration early in 2010.
  
  Educators and parents who want to know about implementation in their district should contact boards of education or independent school authorities.
  

Where can I find information about the benefits of full day kindergarten?

• The Early Childhood Learning Agency report (PDF, 107KB) on the feasibility of expanding early learning in British Columbia provides information on the importance of quality kindergarten and pre-kindergarten, and includes research associated with these findings.

Will there be new curriculum for full day kindergarten?

• A longer instructional day will enable kindergarten teachers to provide more opportunities for learning and success. The expanded kindergarten program will be play-based and designed to address all areas of child development: physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive.
  
  The current Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for kindergarten (PDF, 650KB) will remain in place for full day kindergarten.
  
  The ideas contained in the Primary Program: A Framework for Teaching (PDF, 4.6MB) will support teachers in designing and delivering full day kindergarten programs. The Primary Program reflects an understanding that children learn through active engagement and play.
  
  Note: The Primary Program document does not refer to the most current PLOs; an up-to-date listing is available at:
  www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/grkcurric_req.pdf (PDF, 650KB).

Why investing in the early years is critical...

HELP is pleased to announce the release of a new report entitled "15 by 15: A comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC".

This report dramatically illustrates why all of us - individuals, businesses, and governments - should care about the real brain drain in BC resulting from early vulnerability.

Moms urge Premier to honour promises to BC’s kids

18 communities join provincial day of action against children’s cuts

OCT 28, 2009:—In 2001, Gordon Campbell promised to stand up for BC’s vulnerable children as a priority. Months later, he ordered 23% cuts to children’s programs. In 2005, the Premier outlined five Great Goals – #3 was to “build the best system of support in Canada” for children with special needs and those at risk.

But Mr. Campbell has again forgotten his promise to create a legacy of strong, safe and well-supported children. So on Wednesday, Oct. 28, we’ve invited British Columbians to help us remind Premier Campbell of his promise to BC’s vulnerable children. So far, 18 BC communities have joined the Provincial Day of Action coordinated by MOMs, a volunteer support network for families of people with special needs. 

While BC enjoyed record budget surpluses, waitlists for critical services that support vulnerable children in and out of school grew longer. Now the Premier is cutting millions from core programs, including autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), mental health, infant development, supported child development and Aboriginal programs. Specialized staff are being lost, with one program given just a month to wrap up. Front-line children’s agencies were forced to cut $3.6 million more. A further $32 million is being cut from essential Ministry roles for monitoring, oversight and support to assure children’s welfare and safety. And yet another Ministry re-structuring will further strain the capacity to support vulnerable children.  

There was no risk assessment or advance public discussion of these cuts. Apart from a token increase for one small sub-group (700 children with autism under age 6), savings will not reduce waitlists or improve access for the vast majority – i.e. for tens of thousands of children with special needs who are still waiting.

Provincial organizations for people with disabilities, children with special needs and families have protested the cuts. Professionals represented by the Health Sciences Association of BC strongly denounced funding cuts and the loss of autism programs. Desperate parents have pleaded to save these programs, noting the huge strides their children have made and the strong evidence base for efficacy and long-term savings.

“The Infant Development Program is what saved me,” says Cyndi Gerlach, the mom coordinating a North Vancouver action on Oct. 28. “I want other parents to benefit just as I did.” 

Premier Campbell’s cuts to children’s programs are just a matter of priorities. His revised budget commits $14 billion to capital projects. Alberta spends twice as much on autism despite fewer children and is not cutting programs despite a deficit twice as large as BC’s.  

“Our children can’t speak out or fight back against these cuts,” says Cher Sherwood, the mom who helped organize several groups in Greater Victoria. “It is our job as parents and citizens to speak up for them.”

And it is Premier Campbell’s job to honour his promises to BC’s kids by protected and rebuilding vitally important supports and services.

“We know that British Columbians don’t want to see BC’s budget balanced on the back of our most vulnerable children,” says Vancouver mom Dawn Steele, who will be leading another group on the Burrard Bridge. “We’re urging him to join us by standing up and doing what he knows is the right thing to do.”

 

Details of local actions, local contacts, background info & updates: MOMs: http://MomsNetwork.ca 

MOMs media contact: Dawn Steele: 604 874-1416 h. /778 235-4998 c. or dawns@telus.net 

Full Day Kindergarten in BC, PEI & Ontario begins in 2010 - A place to discuss the issues

A reminder of the blog that has been set up regarding Full Day Kindergarten in Canada.  Drop by to share your thoughts and to discuss the issues.