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Kindergartners buckle up in P.E.I. buses

.E.I. kindergartners became part of the provincial school system this September, and it's also the first time school buses have had to accommodate these younger, smaller students.

Transport Canada recommends children under 40 pounds travel in booster seats.

About a third of school buses on the Island are equipped with eight built-in booster seats, complete with seatbelts, that are located at the front near the driver.

Schools have tried to match the kids who need them with the buses that have them. So most but not all children who need a booster seat have one.

While recommended, the special seats aren't legally required. Even without them, the school board said, the buses are safe for the smallest of children.

Kids are learning to buckle themselves

Dale Wilson says the kindergarten children he transports are learning to buckle themselves into the special booster seats. (CBC)But drivers are not supposed to help with the buckling in.

"When you start to bring an individual who is not the parent into that person's space, that close, there are certain concerns," said Grant Canfield, operations supervisor with the Eastern School District.

Canfield also said drivers shouldn't be buckling in the children because they're responsible for securing the vehicle and monitoring traffic among other tasks.

"To leave their seat and to park and delay the process, we've determined it's really not in best interest of the students," Canfield said.

Parents, teachers or older students help those children who need it, but most kids are learning to do it themselves.

"I try to keep the same child in each seat, so it's already adjusted for him," said bus driver Dale Wilson. "Some are getting help, but more are catching on every day and getting better. It's a little harder to get out, but most get into them now."

All new buses that are bought for P.E.I will come equipped with the special seats.

via www.cbc.ca

From "Shall" to "May" - It is indeed a sad, sad day for Island children and families

Today Bill 47 was passed by Government in the PEI legislature. This Bill makes a simple wording change (replacing "shall" with "may") in the Child Care Facilities Act.  This change will now allow the Child Care Facilities Board to choose NOT to issue child care license to an applicant who applies for licensing to operate a child care facility on the Island.  This basically gives the Board full power to determine who, how and where a new child care program may be operated.  It also protects existing child care programs that are already licensed (many of whom offer low quality child care) from any form of competition.  This will result in poor quality programs being protected and entrenched within the existing child care system.  It will also reduce program choice for many families.

For more than 2 years I have been actively working with Island families and professional colleagues to prevent a change such as this from passing through the PEI legislature.  Child care choice and quality for Island families and their children has been seriously compromised today.  It is indeed a sad, sad day for Prince Edward Island families with children who currently (or in the future will need to) access child care and early learning programs.

SECTION 1 amends a provision of the Child Care Facilities Act
regarding the Child Care Facilities Board issuing licenses for the
operation of child care facilities by referencing the application process
and changing the word “shall” to the word “may”.
 

PEI Kindergarten transition into public school system

April 16, 2010

MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT EXCITED TO WELCOME KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Kindergarten teachers have been welcomed into the public school system by their future coworkers with an overwhelmingly positive response as demonstrated by last night’s vote by the members of the PEI Teachers Federation (PEITF), said Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Doug Currie.

       “This is an important step forward in our kindergarten transition process,” said Minister Currie.  “This means that we will be able to answer a number of questions that have been on the minds of many parents, kindergarten teachers and school board officials. I am very pleased that this step in the process is complete and we can move forward to continue to strengthen our educational system, which will support our one island community and one island future.”
       This agreement means that school boards can now issue offer letters to successful kindergarten teacher candidates. These kindergarten teachers will be able to provide letters to the UPEI Registrar’s Office in order to be officially accepted into the new B.Ed. Program.
       School boards will assign kindergarten teachers to schools based on the needs of the students; the skills and experience of the team in the school; and, as much as possible, the school preferences provided by the candidate.  Once kindergarten teachers are assigned to schools, they will be contacted by their principal as soon as possible to begin preparing for the arrival of students in September. That preparation includes scheduling the Welcome to Kindergarten sessions, which will give parents and kindergarten students the opportunity to meet their teacher.
       “I am excited about bringing kindergarten into the public school system.  This is the largest educational initiative in the modern history of our province and I am proud to be a part of it,” said Minister Currie.  “I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new kindergarten teachers.  I know their expertise and experience in early learning will be a terrific asset to our Island’s public school system.”

       Some terms of the agreement with the PEITF include:
•       The new kindergarten teachers will operate under a letter of authority from the Certification and Standards Board until they complete their B.Ed. and receive teacher certification.
•       Kindergarten educators will have limited mobility.  They will be restricted to transfer solely to other kindergarten positions for a minimum of three years and those who do not have a B.Ed. will not be eligible to teach other grades until they become a certified teacher.
•       Kindergarten educators who currently have a B.Ed. will not be able to teach outside of kindergarten until 2013/14.  During this time, they will receive first consideration for any positions that are going to be open to the public.
•       Bilingual early childhood educators  will have an opportunity to compete for French and French immersion kindergarten teacher positions.
•       During the next three years, any kindergarten position not filled by the kindergarten educators will be open to transfer for teachers in Grades 1 through 12.

-30-

For more information, contact Maureen Flanagan-LeClair, Education and Early Childhood Development by email at mxflanagan-leclair@gov.pe.ca or phone (902) 368-6449.

PEI Literacy Environmental Scan - "factors will force nearly half of the early childhood centres in PEI to close"

Quote from PEI Literacy Alliance Environmental Scan  - March 3, 2010
 

"In September 2010 kindergarten-aged children will move to the public school system. As a result many trained early childhood educators from the daycare system are moving with them.  This will create a lack of trained early childhood educators in the day care facilities across the Island.  As well the government subsidy that was available to support kindergarten training in child care centres will be lost.  These factors will force nearly half of the early childhood centres in PEI to close, putting an added burden on working parents and employers.  Another fall-out from this move will be that quality pre-LES training for children will be lost in the rural communities."

PEI Kindergarten transition update

Children entering kindergarten to be assessed - PEI

The P.E.I. government is launching a new system of assessments for children entering kindergarten next year.

'We can look at intervention strategies and supports as they come into the public school system.'— Education Minister Doug Currie

Children will be evaluated late in April by retired school teachers, who will check for any potential emotional, social or developmental delays.

Education Minister Doug Currie said the program is part of preparations for bringing kindergarten into the Island school system. The provincial kindergarten curriculum is currently taught mainly in private centres, but will move into schools in September.

"On Prince Edward Island now we don't have a universal screening tool, so this is a very positive process," said Currie.

"We can look at intervention strategies and supports as they come into the public school system."

Letters will be going out to families of children registered for kindergarten, letting them know the assessment dates and locations. Education officials are stressing the importance of ensuring children are registered.

The department has set aside $50,000 to hire the teachers.

via www.cbc.ca

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - Kindergarten teachers brace for change

The province met with P.E.I.'s kindergarten teachers over the weekend to talk about the degree program they will soon need to complete in order to move into the public school system.

Up until now, child-care centres ran kindergarten programs on the Island, and child-care workers only needed to complete a two-year diploma program.

Kindergarten teacher Charlene Rogers is facing two more years of training in a modified bachelor of education program at the University of Prince Edward Island in order to keep working with kindergarten children.

"I don't have any concerns about it because this is the age group that I chose to work with, five years and under," Rogers said Wednesday.

The usual prerequisite for a bachelor of education degree in P.E.I. is a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree, but this requirement has been waived for child-care workers. They must complete a two-year bachelor of education program at the University of Prince Edward Island by 2016.

But not all teachers are feeling as comfortable. Some have questions such as what grades will they be certified to teach after getting a B.Ed., and will their accreditation be accepted in other provinces.

"We're trying to prepare them with a degree which meets the needs of P.E.I. That's as far as I'm going," Tim Goddard, dean of education at UPEI, said Wednesday.

"Should they then choose later in their career to go somewhere else, until somebody tests it, we don't know how it's going to work out."

The province has suggested teachers with UPEI's special bachelor of education be allowed to teach up to Grade 3. But a final recommendation will have to come from the Standards and Accreditation Board, and it won't make a decision until summer at the earliest.

Job interviews wrapped up in January, but teachers still haven't been told what schools they'll be teaching at, or if they have been given one of the jobs up for grabs.

Rogers said she isn't anxious about the future.

"No. It'd be nice to know, but I understand they're giving us information, as they know it," she said.

via www.cbc.ca

Education and Early Childhood Development: Kindergarten Transition Team (PEI)

A Kindergarten Transition Team is coordinating the tasks required to move kindergarten to the school system, and identifying the immediate impact it will have on the early childhood sector. The work is being carried out through nine working groups.

Members of the overall transition team are:

• Linda Lowther, Senior Director of Learning and Early Childhood Development, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (Chair)
• Alice Taylor, President, Early Childhood Development Association
• Carolyn Simpson, Early Childhood Development and Kindergarten Programs Manager, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Carrie St. Jean, President, PEI Teachers’ Federation
• Cindy Wood, Manager of Assessment and Evaluation, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Frank Hennessey, Director of English Programs, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Glenn Edison, Director of Student Support Services, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Imelda Arsenault, Director of French Programs, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Jacquie Lidstone, Vice-president, PEI Home and School Federation
• Jean Doherty, Communications Coordinator, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• John Cummings, Senior Director of Corporate Services, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Karen Redmond, Corporate Services Officer, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Laura Cudmore, Board Principal, Western School Board
• Leona McIsaac-Moran, Pro

via www.gov.pe.ca

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - P.E.I. parents urged to register children for Kindergarten

Provincial Education Department officials are urging parents to register youngsters for next fall's Kindergarten.

The department issued a plea Tuesday for parents of Kindergarten-eligible children to visit their local school to register.

Local school board officials need accurate registration numbers to plan the number of classes and teachers required in September.

That's when Kindergarten programs in the province, now run by child-care centres, will be become part of the public school system.

Some parents appear to be ignoring the repeated calls to register their children, officials say.

"The more information we have the more accurate it is, and the better off everyone will be in terms of planning and preparing," said Dale Sabean, superintendent of the Western School Board. Sabean said officials want to ensure they have the right number of teachers in the right locations.

The Eastern School District held a special meeting last week to come up with a solution to overcrowding, as approximately 900 Kindergarten students enter elementary schools in September.

Meantime, some substitute teachers in P.E.I. are worried they may have trouble finding full-time work once Kindergarten students and their teachers move into the public school system next fall.

via www.cbc.ca

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - P.E.I. pre-schoolers could be doing better: report

One in five children entering kindergarten on P.E.I. is not ready for school, says a national child development group.

While that result is the best in the country, the Canadian Council on Early Child Development says 20 per cent of Island children unprepared for the classroom is too high.

"[It] is at least double where we could get it down to, had we done a better job in the early years," said council president Clyde Hertzman.

Hertzman met with Premier Robert Ghiz Thursday to ask for a significant increase in investment in early childhood development.

Every few years the council has kindergarten teachers fill out a survey on their students. Asking things like how aggressive are the children, do they get along with others, are they easily distracted, have they read a picture book before they came to school.

These questions are grouped together to specify areas of vulnerability

• Physical health and well being.
• Social competence.
• Emotional maturity.
• Language and cognitive.
• Communication skills.

The survey also looks at factors in the general population, such as education levels, income, how often people move, and the percentage of families headed by one parent.

If children are vulnerable in any of these areas, this can hamper their learning, behaviour and their well-being. The current survey looks at results from 2007.

Hertzman brought specific recommendations to the premier. He said children would be better off if government extended parental leave from 12 to 18 months, if they could work fewer hours without losing benefits or seniority, and if they had universal access to high quality daycare.

The council figures programs to improve early childhood development would cost $86 million. Hertzman knows sounds like a lot, but he said the investment would pay off.

"We know that if we bring vulnerability down, the gross domestic product will grow over the long term by about one per cent more for every per cent we bring vulnerability down," he said.

With more investment, Hertzman said, children on P.E.I. will have fewer challenges with school, and will graduate better prepared to enter the work world.

via www.cbc.ca

Child centres on brink, group says

Parents and early childhood educators rallied in front of Province House Thursday, giving out black ribbons to signify the imminent death of the early childhood sector if government doesn’t step in to help.

The sector has been in limbo ever since government announced last year it was moving kindergarten from day-care centres into the public school system in 2010. This move will mean a loss of almost $3 million to those centres, as well as a loss of over 100 early childhood educators (ECEs), who will also move to schools teaching kindergarten.

Without that core kindergarten funding, many centres — especially those in rural areas — will likely be forced to close.

That’s because the amount parents pay for child care is not enough to cover wages and operating costs, despite the relatively low wages paid to ECEs on P.E.I. Early childhood advocates have long been warning government of the imminent crisis facing the sector, but they have yet to have any firm commitment for financial help. So on Thursday, a group of about 50 parents, ECEs and children gathered at the legislature to bring the issue to the politicians.

via www.theguardian.pe.ca

Minister Greenan: Let's get clear on the vision - is it about children or the sector?

On November 12, 2009 the following was in the PEI Throne Speech:

My Government is mindful that the magnitude of this change will have an impact on the early childhood sector. My Government recognizes that early childhood education and care holds lifelong benefits for children – and provides vital support to Island families. My Government is working with the early childhood sector to define the financial and human resource impacts and to identify potential transition measures to help the sector move toward sustainability. In the coming year, my Government will build on this work through a comprehensive review to establish a vision and long-term strategy for the healthy development and well-being of Island children and their families.

In a Press Release from the PEI Provincial Government today the following was stated:

The provincial government announced in the Speech from the Throne that it will soon initiate a wider process to establish a vision and long term strategy for the early childhood sector. “This will bring parents, early childhood educators and partners together to identify what we want for our children, and how we can work together towards a vibrant, sustainable early childhood sector in Prince Edward Island.”

So which is it? 

Are we developing a vision and long term strategy for the healthy development and well-being of Island children and their families or are we developing a vision and long-term strategy for the early childhood sector?  While there are direct connections between the two; the reality is that they are vastly different. 

Clearly, there are significant issues to be addressed with the transition to Full Day Kindergarten.  The impacts to community based child care and early learning programs are vast.  Of course, the Government should be addressing these. It is good to see some small steps in this direction.  That said; it would be a huge mistake to only focus on the needs of the early childhood sector. 

Prince Edward Island needs a comprehensive, broad based early childhood development strategy for all young children. (Not just those who are in licensed child care programs!) This strategy needs to be about children and families - not just the early childhood sector.

Such a strategy should  be comprehensive both in scope and nature. A strategy that is actually supported and implemented by all of the partners; including 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, health professionals, community agencies, 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.

PEI Government announce steps to support early childhood sector

November 19, 2009

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS TO SUPPORT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SECTOR

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- The provincial government is taking steps to support the early childhood sector as the kindergarten program transitions to the public school system, and many projects are now nearing completion, says Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Gerard Greenan.

       “The most significant initiative is a financial impact study that we are doing to identify and address impact on early childhood centres,” said Minister Greenan. “This is an in-depth expert analysis being conducted by MRSB. It is overseen by an advisory committee of people from government departments, the Early Childhood Development Association and the Early Learning Operators of PEI.” The study will be complete in December. It will include:
•       a detailed profile of early childhood centres including size and type of centre, location and setting, children served, staffing, and programs offered;
•       overall financial impact on the sector by region, size and type of centre;
•       current and forecast demand by region, shortfalls and overlaps by region;
•       options for measures that could assist the sector and individual centres to adapt.
       “We are taking an orderly approach to transfer kindergarten to schools, to address immediate impact on early childhood centres, and to ensure that families have good access to high quality early learning and child care in the future,” said the Minister.  “The information in the financial impact study will enable us to identify the supports that best respond to the specific needs of families and centres.”
       The provincial government announced in the Speech from the Throne that it will soon initiate a wider process to establish a vision and long term strategy for the early childhood sector. “This will bring parents, early childhood educators and partners together to identify what we want for our children, and how we can work together towards a vibrant, sustainable early childhood sector in Prince Edward Island.”
       An accelerated training program for staff of early childhood centres will soon be offered. It will provide employees with full tuition and the opportunity to receive a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education in one year, rather than two. The program will benefit owners and operators of centres by providing them with access to more certified staff.
       A survey has been conducted to determine how many kindergarten educators are interested in moving to the school system. This information will support human resource planning by schools and early childhood centres.
       Department of Education and Early Childhood Development staff are meeting this weekend with early childhood centre staff to update them on the kindergarten transition. Sessions will take place Saturday, November 21 at 9:30 a.m. at la Belle Alliance in Summerside in both English and French. In Charlottetown, it will be offered at Carrefour de l’Isle St.-Jean at 1:15 p.m.
       Minister Greenan encouraged early childhood educators to take this opportunity to receive the latest information and have their questions answered.
       “The transfer of kindergarten to the public school system is a major initiative that represents significant change.  People are concerned right now because they don’t know exactly what the early childhood sector will look like in the future. This is why we are taking time to understand future financial and human resource needs.  We want to ensure that our decisions are based on good information and sound research, that they respond effectively to immediate needs, and support the long term sustainability of the early childhood sector,” said Minister Greenan.  “We acknowledge and appreciate the excellent work that continues in our early childhood centres and we assure parents and all partners of our continued commitment and support.”

Black Ribbon Campaign - Is it really about children and families or the sector?

Today the Early Childhood Development Association of PEI are holding a Black Ribbon Campaign. 

The black ribbons signify the potential loss of early childhood centres due to significant funding cuts as a result of the transition of kindergarten delivery. The Black Ribbon Campaign is an effort to educate the public on the potential effects of this funding loss and to gain an immediate investment of hope from the province of PEI as an effort to sustain quality licensed programs.

In a letter (Download Dear_Early_Childhood_Educators_Campaign ) earlier this week to Educators, the Association stated:

• We need an immediate investment of hope as we transition our services. Specifically we request government’s immediate initial funding commitment to the following:

1. To maintain the 2.9 million dollars of provincial funding, previously committed to the kindergarten program, toward the licensed early childhood system;
2. To conduct an immediate review of the childcare subsidy system with a subsequent infusion of dollars to support families through the expected rise in rates that this transition will bring.

Of course; the sector should be supported in some very specific ways as the Government transitions to a school based Kindergarten delivery system. The PEI Government does need to address this issue; however they must do it very strategically and pay close attention to ensuring that ALL transition funding is directly connected to specific quality indicators with measurable outcomes.  That said, are the ECDA's requests really in the best interests of children and families or the sector?

Will the requested 2.9 million dollars replace the over one third of certified early childhood educators who will move to the school system with Kindergarten children?

What other options are there to support this major transition? 

How do you think the PEI government should be addressing this issue?

What say should Island parents have?

Should the transition decisions be based upon the needs of children and families or driven by the needs of the sector?

Recent PEI Notice of Motions re Kindergarten, education and children

MOTION
No. 28
Working Together to Improve the Services and Supports Available for Children and
Youth in Prince Edward Island
Honourable Doug Currie gives notice that tomorrow he will move, seconded by Robert
Mitchell, the following Motion:

WHEREAS children and youth are the foundation of our One Island Community and our
One Island Future, and as such, they must be loved, protected, and offered every
opportunity to succeed;
AND WHEREAS some of our children and youth are challenged to overcome addictions,
mental health issues, conflicts with the law, and other concerns;
AND WHEREAS government and community organizations offer a range of services
and supports to young people in our province, these efforts could be better collaborated
and integrated to maximize their benefits;
AND WHEREAS youth, their parents and caregivers often find the available resources
difficult to learn about and access, and challenging to navigate;
AND WHEREAS all current and future generations of Islanders will benefit if we can get
children off to the right start today;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that all levels of government and community
organizations work together to provide a seamless continuum of services and supports
for children and youth, that are appropriate, timely, respectful, and informed by best
practices;
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that residential services, including the new
residential youth centre, be designed and staffed to provide excellent, evidence-based
supports to these youth;
AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all Members of this Assembly
and all members of our community take an interest in and support future collaborative
efforts to develop caring, dignified and beneficial programs, services and supports for
the young people of Prince Edward Island.