More on BC’s full day Kindergarten delay

From The Times Colonist – Feb 3, 3009

B.C.'s proposed move to full-day kindergarten appears to be on hold for at least a year.

The
shift from mostly half-day kindergarten classes to full days at public
schools has been under examination for several months by the
government's Early Childhood Learning Agency.

But with kindergarten registration for 2009-10 underway this week, school officials aren't expecting changes in September.

Supporters of full-day kindergartens say they help young children to learn better and could improve graduation rates.

The Sooke district expects to stay with its half-day kindergarten program in the next school year.

The
only full-day kindergarten programs in the Sooke district are for
aboriginal and special-needs students, said Ron Warder, assistant
superintendent.

It's a similar situation in the Greater Victoria
district, where full-day programs are available to aboriginal students
and to English-as-a-second-language students.

Parents intent on a
full-day kindergarten for their children in the next school year might
opt for private facilities, Warder said.

About 560 children were registered for Sooke district kindergarten in 2008-09.

Sherri
Bell, an associate superintendent in the Greater Victoria district,
said kindergarten registration is proceeding normally. It started
yesterday and will continue through Friday.

About 1,300 children entered kindergarten in district schools last September, Bell said.

"Unless
we hear something, we're doing exactly what we've done every other year
with registration. From what I can gather from schools, there was a
great number of parents registering on the first day, so that's good
news."

Warder said preparations for full-day kindergarten would
mean taking steps to ensure space is available. "In some of our schools
that are full, we would have to find an extra classroom somehow."

That could mean bringing in portables or having to take over space that is being rented out, Warder said.

Full-day kindergarten is backed by a number of groups, including the B.C. Teachers' Federation.

Education Minister Shirley Bond was not available for comment.