Work. Family. Life.

ECDA to host sector meeting on November 14, 2009

The Early Childhood Educators Association of PEI is hosting a meeting for Early Childhood Educators on November 14, 2009 to discuss the following questions:

• What do you want the future to hold for licensed early childhood programs?
• What do you need to stay in the sector?
• What policies and programs do licensed programs need to stay in the sector beyond the transition of
• kindergarten?
• Let’s get ahead of the provincial review of early childhood and begin to formulate a professional “must have “ list for the future of this sector!

A detailed handout can be found here.

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - Early childhood course still comes up short

Holland College has made some changes to the rollout of its accelerated course on early childhood care and education because enrolment isn't as high as expected.

The P.E.I. government arranged for the course, which is being offered free to people working in child-care centres across the province, to ease a labour shortage when child-care workers move to schools with kindergarten. Kindergarten is currently run out of daycare centres but will move into schools next September.

When the program was first announced, officials thought they would have 50 students studying in two locations, Charlottetown and Summerside, but despite an extended deadline there are still only about 30 applicants. That deadline passed on Friday.

Holland College has decided to offer the course only in Charlottetown. It will offer two 44-week sessions: one starting at the end of this month and another in January.

"One of the reasons that we've opted to go with the two cohorts is that we have eight centres on the Island where multiple staff applied to the program," college registrar Donna Sutton said.

"To have staff exit their employment and come to school all at the same time would have been problematic in order to keep the centres running. So by dividing up when the students start, it makes for an easier transition for the centres themselves."

Provision may be made for travel for people who will now need to commute to class.

Sutton believes the time commitment, the lack of a summer break and the cut in pay because of going on employment insurance are the likely reasons for the lower than expected enrolment.

The first Charlottetown class begins Nov. 23.

via www.cbc.ca

Editorial - The Guardian - Addressing the needs of Island child care

Addressing the needs of Island child care
Our child care facilities will need help to continue operating during the transition of kindergarten to the public school system.
The Guardian

A Tignish day care operator who expressed concern recently about her facility's future now that kindergarten is becoming part of the public school system has issued the latest warning from the Island's child care sector. The needs of Island child care facilities are urgent, and government must soon outline its plan for addressing them during this important transition period.

The Ghiz government plans to incorporate the Island's kindergarten into the public school system by September 2010. Such a merger was recommended by the province's kindergarten commissioner, Pat Mella, and it's a sound policy. But it won't be an easy transition as kindergarten-age children move from the Island's child care centres into the public education system, and some of the staff pursue upgrading opportunities to move into kindergarten teaching positions in the public schools. This can't help but have a direct impact on child care operators and their ability to continue offering services to the public. Ms. Mella acknowledged this in her report, and warned government to put a plan in place to help child care facilities stay afloat.

Government has said it's working with the child care sector on a plan, but no final decisions have been made. In the meantime, while working groups have been established and a financial impact analysis is being conducted to determine how losing kindergarten funding will affect child care facilities, some operators have already warned they may be forced to close. The above-mentioned Tignish operator, for example, says she doesn't want to close her centre, yet she's worried about the loss of kindergarten children, and some staff.

How often does government have to hear this warning? Ultimately, as the operators say, this concern, if unaddressed, could affect their ability to stay open and provide the child care services their respective communities need.

Government can't allow this to happen. In her report, the kindergarten commissioner made some sound suggestions that could help child care operators manage during the transition of kindergarten. For instance, she said, while conducting the review of the child care sector and working on a long-term plan, government should offer some short-term help, such as one-time payments or grants. As well, she suggested raising the income cutoffs to increase the number of moderate-income families eligible under the province's subsidy program.

Government needs to act on some of these suggestions. It's doing the right thing in working with the child care sector on a long-term plan, but if there are real obstacles threatening the survival of some of these operations, government can't ignore these. They provide much-needed services in their communities and if they are forced to close, it's not just the operators who suffer. So do the families that have come to rely on their services.

What are the issues that bring people to this blog? Many!

Below is a list of the key words that people have searched for in recent weeks and months to arrive at this blog.  These are not listed in order of relevance, rather I have placed them in alphabetical order so as to see similar items grouped together where possible.  It is interesting to see the range of items that attract people to this site.

"Early Childhood Educators Loan Assistance Program "
"early intervention" speech
"Kellie Leitch" Globe and Mail
"Mary Polak"
"patti bacchus, chair"
"sadaf parvaiz"
"Victoria Sopik"
(http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/occup-travail/balancing_six-equilibre_six/index-eng.php
(vancouver) secure status
+kindergarten +ontario +"full day" +ece
$10 billion in education grants
20
2009 call for proposals in Canada
2009 evaluation of parental leave
2009 statistics stay at home moms
2010 all day kindergarten ontario
2010 full day kindergarten bc
2010 new members list contact of Abbotsford Farm and Country Market @hotmail.com
2010 ontario full time program kindergarten
2010 parental leave extended in canada
2010-2011 kindergarten program full days ontario
3185 Willingdon Green Burnaby, BC
4 year olds in school by 2010 (BC)
5 years old kindergarten will begin to be delivered in schools throughout British Columbia in Sept,
a healthy work environment
accessing early maternity leave benefits in bc
According to the recent HELP (UBC) report commissioned by the Business Council of BC, "BC has a six
actionplan.gc.ca
advantages of New Brunswick’s New Brunswick’s International Strategy
Alberta bc requirements for working at child care services
alberta child care certification for foreign trained people
alberta child care regulations
Alberta licensed day care balance sheet
all day kindergarten + bc
all day kindergarten 2010
all day kindergarten 2010 in BC
all day kindergarten bc
all day kindergarten bc october 28 2009
all day kindergarten ontario
all day kindergarten ontario oct 2009
all day kindergqrten bc 2010

From the Journal Pioneer: We must think of the children

November 3, 2009

The Journal Pioneer

Editor,

It stuns me that a program such as the passport to employment program would be considered a viable solution to both the shortage of Early Childhood Educators on Prince Edward Island due to the move to full-day kindergarten and the shortage of qualified staff to work with young children who have been diagnosed with autism.

Clearly it is time for the P.E.I. government to rethink many of the approaches that are being made with respect to Island children.

The policies, decisions and actions of the P.E.I. government are no longer even remotely close to acceptable. Suggesting that people with four weeks of training is a quality solution to educator shortages in the fields of early learning and early intervention is ridiculous.

Yet somehow these programs were allowed to move forward. Even worse; they have been viewed by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development as a viable option to addressing staffing shortages and to supporting Island families.

I ask this: How much does the future of Island children really matter? Does the future of Prince Edward Island even matter?

If children were truly valued on Prince Edward Island then we would be seeing sound and strategic decisions being made and implemented. Quite plainly, Island families and children are being put at risk due to the bureaucratic carelessness and inappropriate policy decisions.It appears that many of these policies are being made up as we go along. Solutions are being implemented based on desperation, not research, best practice or long-term strategy.

Prince Edward Island needs a comprehensive, broad based early childhood development strategy for all young children. Prince Edward Island needs an autism strategy. We need this today, not tomorrow.

We are getting to the tipping point on these issues. Islanders recognize that children are our future and will no longer be tolerant of policy decisions and programs that are clearly not in the best interests of children and families.

Please contact your MLA today and voice your concern. The future of Prince Edward Island deserves much, much better than this.

Jane Boyd, President,
Parents for Choice Quality Society,

via www.journalpioneer.com

Canadian professional development opportunities in early learning and care

Below is a list of sites that outline upcoming professional development opportunities for the early learning and care field.  This posting is a work in progress; with more info being added over the next few weeks and months.  If you know of additional training opportunities please leave a comment and link.

British Columbia

BC Aboriginal Child Care Society - Annual Conference Page

BC Family Child Care Association - Events Page

Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre - Training Page

Child Care Options - Training Page

ECEBC - Conference 2010 Page

HELP - Human Early Learning Partnership - Events Page

Alberta

Alberta Child Care Association - Events Page

Manitoba

Manitoba Child Care Association - Events Page and Fall Workshop Page

New Brunswick

Early Childhood Care and Education - Training Page

PEI

Early Childhood Development Association of PEI - Events Page

National

Child Care Resource and Research Unit - Events Page

Canadian Child Care Federation - Events Page

Government leaving daycares in the cold: NDP (PEI)

The moving of kindergartens on P.E.I. into the school system is causing serious problems for daycare centres, says NDP Leader James Rodd, and lack of planning is to blame.

The Ghiz administration doesn't seem prepared to put the proper resources in place as daycare teachers leave to teach in the schools, said Rodd.

"The government is cherry picking and allowing the educators to move to the kindergarten, which is OK, but there is no plan for the early childhood caregivers and their employees that wish to remain," he said.

"It seems that there has been very little planning as to the effect of this move."

Rodd is calling on the government to bring in supports to help early childhood education centres deal with the loss of so many trained and experienced employees.

via www.cbc.ca

Moving to full day Kindergarten in PEI...well thought out? Perhaps not.

I am one of the biggest supporters of offering full day Kindergarten for children; however on PEI we are just beginning to feel the real ripples of this pending new reality for community based child care and early learning programs across the Island.  Sure it is good to offer enhanced early learning opportunities (Kindergarten) on a full day basis for five year olds - but is it worth it to do this if many child care and early learning centres are forced to close or become compromised due to a shortage of qualified staff? Unfortunately, this is going to happen as so many of the qualified teachers move into the school system along with the Kindergarten children.  Who is this good for...children, families or communities??

It is important to recognize that the Island has a long way to go in ensuring that all children have access to quality early learning experiences and care in their communities. There is a huge variation in quality from area to area. For this reason alone, the move to full day Kindergarten is of critical importance. It will level the playing field for many children.  That said, perhaps the move to implement full day Kindergarten so quickly is going to leave a wake of early learning devastation as it rolls out.  By removing so many qualified staff from the child care field so quickly there is little doubt that programs are going to be significantly compromised across the Island.  No amount of fast tracking of educators will make up for such a loss of experience all at once.  What will this mean for the field? What will it mean for quality? Even more importantly, what will this mean for the young children who are left in community based early learning and care programs. Perhaps many centres will close.  Perhaps only some will close. Perhaps only the lowest quality centres will close. However - here is the thing; what happens if the overall quality level of early learning and care is greatly reduced across the Island? Given the current variation in quality levels; any move that further compromises the quality of care is one that we should all be very worried about.  There is a very strong chance that this will happen.

Let's be clear - caring for young children takes passion, commitment and most of all a strong knowledge and education related to early learning and child development. This is not something that one can just pick up through a Passport to Employment type of program. Really...is this the way we are going to enhance quality on Prince Edward Island? This is NOT a solution; it is a band aid on already hemorrhaging system.  This is not anything that will enhance quality....perhaps it will  help to meet child-staff ratios - but, again, this is not a solution by any means.

So while the Provincial Government means well for the future of five year old children; I am concerned for all of the other younger children on the Island.  Who is thinking about their needs?  Surely there must be some consideration for these children....and I say children specifically as opposed to early learning operators.  I understand that there is a working group related to the early childhood sector as a result of Pat Mella's report.  Of course, there should be a group to discuss all of the issues that are going to impact child care programs.  However, is this group really going to be able to think broadly and strategically about the best interests of all young Island children when so much of their sector is under attack?

So, once again, I say this....

Prince Edward Island needs a comprehensive, broad based early childhood development strategy for all young children. 

One that is comprehensive both in scope and nature. A strategy that is actually supported and implemented by all of the partners; inlcluding the PEI government.  We need to dream big…the sky should be the limit for our children.  After all, they are our future.  If we don't invest now we will pay later; there is endless research to demonstrate this.  Such a strategy will need to be designed through comprehensive public consultation, research and planning.  This will take the leadership and support of all who are involved – those who work with children and families, operators, professional associations, government employees, the government as a whole and the individual MLA's, community members AND most importantly – PEI FAMILIES.  Flexibility and a willingness by ALL to put PEI children and families first will be the key to success….for both the Island and it's children.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From this morning's Guardian, here is an article by Teresa Wright.  It gives example of how one centre is going to be impacted by these pending changes to the system.  How many more programs will be impacted like this?  What will this mean for children and and families?  What about quality?

Magic Moments Childcare is the only licensed daycare in Tignish, but it may soon be forced to close now that its entire staff is moving into the public school system.
Tracy Doyle owns and operates Magic Moments. She said she doesn’t want to close the centre, but the trained early childhood educators she currently employs are leaving to teach kindergarten in the public system next year and she has little hope of attracting new replacements.
“Rural areas are much different,” Doyle said.
“It’s really difficult to recruit and retain early childhood educators who are trained.”
The pay she offers is not enough to bring trained educators as far west as Tignish, and raising rates is not an option, she said.
“Parents can only afford to pay so much because they only get so much pay in a rural area. It’s seasonal jobs, it’s high unemployment rates — there’s not a lot of money there to pay the staff what they deserve to get paid.”
That’s why Doyle believes she may have to close her doors.
With kindergarten moving into the public system next September and over 100 high-paying teaching jobs up for grabs, Doyle says she just can’t compete for trained early childhood educators. 
“They’re taking the best trained staff from us,” Doyle said.
“My biggest concern then is what’s going to happen to the quality of early childhood programs? I will not and I refuse to run and compromise quality care for children.”
Doyle is not alone.
Magic Moments is just one of several rural centres facing imminent closure unless government offers help to the sector, said Lynn Hogan, chair of the Early Learning Operators of P.E.I. (ELOPEI).
That will seriously jeopardize the ability for smaller communities to remain viable for working parents, she said.
“These rural areas, they could lose their early childcare centres,” Hogan said.
“What is left for these little communities?”
Hogan said early childhood operators are frustrated with the lack of planning for the sector before government announced the upcoming changes to kindergarten last year.
Operators are also frustrated at the lack of information about what will happen in 2010 and whether government will be supporting the industry in the future.
That has many operators in limbo, Hogan said.
“There are people who are just waiting to see what they’re going to do.”
ELOPEI wants government and the sector to develop a comprehensive child-care system to ensure everyone on P.E.I. has access to quality, affordable childcare.
Government is currently working with the sector on such a plan, but no final decisions have yet been made.
A number of working groups were set up as a result of Kindergarten Commissioner Pat Mella’s recommendations on the introduction of kindergarten in the public system, including one group dealing primarily with the early childhood sector.
As well, a financial impact analysis is currently being done to measure the financial implications of day cares losing kindergarten funding and teachers and what needs will exist in this sector in future.
But while the province and the working groups continue to study and debate the issue, operators like Doyle are facing some tough decisions.
“The chances are, if there’s no supports there and there’s no trained staff, I won’t compromise quality care — the option is I may be closing,” she said.
“It’s so sad because I put my heart and soul in this.”

PEI to support training of additional ECE's on fast track basis

September 23, 2009
For immediate release

Provincial Government Introduces New Accelerated Training Program for Early Childhood Educators

Education and Early Childhood Development

The provincial government is introducing a new program that will provide non-certified staff in licensed early childhood centres with their tuition and the opportunity to complete their Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education in one year rather than two, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Gerard Greenan.

“The new accelerated program will benefit employees, families and early childhood centres,” said Minister Greenan. “Employees will have an affordable opportunity to increase their knowledge and receive their credentials. Families will benefit from having more trained early childhood educators working with their children. Owners and operators of early childhood centres will have more access to trained educators when the kindergarten program moves to the school system next year.”

The program will be offered at Holland College in Charlottetown and Summerside, and at Collège Acadie in Wellington. It will run from October 2009 to September 2010.

To be eligible, participants must have worked in a licensed early childhood centre for at least 4,500 hours. They must also be able to meet Holland College and College Acadie entrance requirements and be eligible for SkillsPEI funding.

Minister Greenan said the new program will help to address the growing shortage of early childhood educators that is occurring in Prince Edward Island and across the country. “We recognize the great contribution that early childhood educators make to our society and our economy. As a province, we are working with the early childhood sector on several fronts to recruit and retain this essential human resource,” he said.

The new program is a partnership of the Government of Prince Edward Island, the Government of Canada, the Early Childhood Development Association of PEI, Holland College and Collège Acadie with funding of $470,000 through the Labour Market Development Agreement.

Minister Greenan acknowledged the excellent work being done by the Early Childhood Development Association to promote the program to its members. “With the help of the Early Childhood Development Association, over 80 people attended recent information sessions across the Island. We are hoping the new accelerated program will be an incentive for at least 50 individuals to receive their certification in early childhood education. Registrations will be accepted until late September and I encourage people to participate in this valuable learning opportunity,” said Minister Greenan.

For more information on the Early Childhood Care and Education Accelerated Training Program, contact the Early Childhood Development Association of PEI at 902 368 1866.

Help us build an online community on Full Day Kindergarten in Canada

Looking for info on Full Day Kindergaten? 

This is the place to visit!

BC, PEI and Ontario are now working on the development and launch of Full Day Kindergarten as part of the public education system.  WFL is working with several colleagues from across Canada to develop this new site and we are in the process of uploading info and resources.  We really need your help!

Help Us Link Resources

If you have suggestions for links and resources please email them to info@fulldaykindergaten.ca.  We welcome info from across the Country.  

Help Us Facilitate Discussion

We are looking for volunteers from across Canada to help us blog about the key issues in each Province and Territory regarding Kindergarten, Early Learning and Full Day Kindergarten.  If you feel that you can assist us with this please send an email your contact info as well as a summary of your qualifications to info@fulldaykindergarten.ca

Please tell your friends and colleagues, blog about this and Tweet about it.  We really need a centralized place that parents and educators can find info and resources easily and can also discuss the many issues related to the move toward Full Day Kindergarten.  Help us build Canada's first and foremost Full Day Kindergarten Community!

Early Childhood Resource Map for PEI

Parents for Choice and Quality have recently launched an Early Childhood Resource Map for PEI.  Be sure to check it out!

Parent for Choice & Quality launch updated blog and Facebook groups

Parents for Choice & Quality Society continue to focus on the issues that impact parents of young children on Prince Edward Island. 

As we move forward in 2009 some of the key issues that we will be working on include:

• The plan to move Kindergarten into the public school system and just what this means for all who are impacted by this.
• The current Kindergarten funding policy and how it impacts some Island children and their families.
• The fact that PEI truly needs an updated, comprehensive Early Years Strategy.
• Developing an Island wide network for  parents of young children.
• The various policy areas that the Provincial Government and related key stakeholders are working on in relation to early childhood development and education issues.
• Changes to the various Acts and Legislation that relates to child care, education and early childhood development.
• Other areas that we feel are important in relation to Island children and families.

Join us online for discussion on the important issues related to education, early learning opportunities and supports for PEI families.

Parents for Choice & Quality Website

Facebook Kindergarten Discussion Group

Parents for Choice & Quality Facebook Page

PEI to offer full-day, mandatory Kindergaten within public school system in 2010

From PEI Government Press Release this morning:

Government Commits to Full-Day School-Based Kindergarten in 2010

Premier's Office

Prince Edward Island will offer a full-day public kindergarten program in Island schools in September 2010.

Following the release of the Public Kindergarten Commissioner’s report in Summerside today, Premier Robert Ghiz advised that Government has endorsed the direction of the report. Recommendations that require further analysis or consultation will be considered by groups of educator, parent and partner representatives.

Premier Ghiz commended Commissioner Pat Mella on an excellent report. “When we asked Ms. Mella to do this work, we had high expectations for the product she would deliver. As expected, she has produced a thoughtful and comprehensive report that addresses all the issues and is based on the most current research and extensive consultation,” said the Premier. “The Commissioner’s recommendations and research will be of tremendous assistance as we begin a new era of early learning that offers more opportunities for Island children to flourish and thrive.”

Government has approved the recommendation that kindergarten will be a full-day, mandatory program for the full school year.

Existing kindergarten teachers will be considered first for the new teaching positions in the school system.

Each kindergarten teacher will teach a maximum of 15 students.

The play-based curriculum that was recently developed by Island kindergarten educators will continue to be used. The curriculum is based on the philosophy that five-year-olds learn through play, and that they can best learn skills and concepts through active exploration, discovery and hands-on involvement.

Premier Ghiz said that while people are excited about moving kindergarten to schools, many are also concerned about the impact this will have on the early childhood sector. “Government understands the vital importance of early childhood education. We are committed to working closely with the sector to identify and address training needs. We are also prepared to fund a comprehensive review that will determine the short and long-term needs of the sector and policy direction to support a vibrant and sustainable early learning and child care system.”

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Gerard Greenan said the many strengths of the existing kindergarten program will be retained. “The people who work with young children in our province have a great deal of specialized knowledge and they are extremely dedicated to children,” he said. “It will be our priority to preserve these strengths as we strive to make our excellent early learning services even better.”

A Kindergarten Transition Team and nine work groups will begin immediately to draft action plans in such areas as supports for students with special needs, teacher training programs and certification levels, and transition issues for early childhood centres.

Collaborative work groups include representatives of government, school boards, UPEI, Holland College, Collège Acadie, Early Childhood Development Association, Early Learning Operators of PEI, CUPE, PEI Teachers’ Federation, PEI Home and School Federation, Féderation des parents and Canadian Parents for French.

BACKGROUNDER

In April 2008 responsibility for early childhood was moved from the Department of Social Services and Seniors to the Department of Education to support the development of an integrated early learning and public school system.

• Also in April 2008 Government made a commitment in the Throne Speech to bring kindergarten into the school system following a thorough, careful, and sensitive consultation process.

• In May 2008 Premier Ghiz appointed Pat Mella as Public Kindergarten Commissioner with a mandate to recommend the orderly transition of kindergarten into the school system by 2010.

• In June 2008 the Commissioner began her consultations which included 25 visits to early childhood centres and schools; seven public meetings; and 17 consultations with early childhood operators and organizations, post-secondary institutions, unions, parent organizations, school board and department staff.

• In July 2008 changes to the age of kindergarten and school entry were made to allow more children to benefit from structured early learning environments.

• In the spring of 2009 Government announced plans to add the following space for kindergarten:

• four new classrooms at École François-Buote at a cost of $600,000

• 11 new kindergarten classrooms at Westwood Primary at a cost of $2.4 million

• a new $8.7 million grades 4-6 school at Glen Stewart Elementary which will allow the existing school to become a K-3 facility.

• Kindergarten enrolment in 2008-2009 was 1,480. It is expected to rise to 1,540 next year and level off to approximately 1,450 in 2010-2011.

• Of the 83 kindergarten programs now in place, 18 are located in English schools and six are located in French first language school community centres. In West Prince and Kings County, three-quarters of all children are served in kindergarten programs that are located in schools.

• In September 2008 PEI implemented a full integrated play-based kindergarten curriculum. Research strongly supports this curriculum because it responds to how children learn best at age 4 and 5. The PEI curriculum was developed by early childhood educators. It encompasses a full range of learning domains including early literacy and numeracy, social studies, science, creativity and health and physical development. It uses natural situations and play activities and does not separate learning experiences into subjects taught in isolation. Play is not simply what children do when the work is all done. Through play, children make sense of their world and who they are within it.

Long awaited Kindergarten report for PEI to be released Monday

From today's Guardian

The long-awaited report detailing how government should implement kindergarten in the P.E.I. school system will finally be released next week.
On Monday, Premier Robert Ghiz and Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Gerard Greenan will host a news conference in Summerside to release Kindergarten Commissioner Pat Mella’s final kindergarten report, government announced Thursday.
Mella’s final recommendations of how best to roll out kindergarten in Island schools were presented to the premier in June and Mella briefed cabinet on her findings last Tuesday.
At that time Ghiz told reporters cabinet wanted a week to digest the report before letting the public see it.
That drew some criticism from parents whose children will be affected by the move of kindergarten into the school system in 2010.
April Ennis, a parent and co-director of the non-profit group Parents for Choice and Quality, believes government has been stalling the release of its kindergarten plan due to the controversy surrounding the province’s recent decision to close 11 small rural schools.
“I’m disappointed they are prolonging this release but I think they’re doing it on purpose to give them a little more time to get over the school closures,” Ennis
told The Guardian earlier this week.

She is one of many parents, early childhood educators and school administrators who will be paying close attention to Mella’s findings when they are released.

Parents for Choice & Quality launches fan page...please join us!

Parents for Choice and Quality Society (PEI) on Facebook