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.
Signed by: Honourable Doug Currie
Signed by: Robert Mitchell
12 November
4:16 p.m.
MOTION
No. 20
Transition of Kindergarten to the School System
Honourable Gerard Greenan gives notice that tomorrow he will move, seconded by Paula
Biggar, the following Motion:
WHEREAS Prince Edward Island has an excellent kindergarten curriculum that is delivered
by caring educators who have specialized knowledge of early childhood development;
AND WHEREAS Prince Edward Island is the only province in Canada where children do
not have access to kindergarten in the school system;
AND WHEREAS the Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to establishing a
full-day, school-based kindergarten program that maintains the strengths of our existing
program and its firm grounding in early childhood philosophy and practices;
AND WHEREAS the new Prince Edward Island program builds on the recommendations
of the Public Kindergarten Commissioner following extensive consultations with educators,
early childhood staff, parents and the public;
AND WHEREAS a Kindergarten Transition Team and nine working groups, which include
many partners, are planning and coordinating the transition of kindergarten to the school
system and identifying its impact on the early childhood sector;
AND WHEREAS some of the major transition projects include planning space in schools
for kindergarten, providing training for early childhood educators, offering professional
development for teachers and school staff, and ensuring that there are good supports for
children with special needs;
AND WHEREAS in recognition of the vital role of early childhood centres, Government has
commissioned a study to identify the impact of the transition on the early childhood sector
and options to ensure that the sector remains strong;
AND WHEREAS Government will soon initiate a broader process to explore what Islanders
want for young children, and how government can work best with the community to ensure
that Prince Edward Island children have the best possible start in life;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that all Islanders support the excellent work that is now
being done my many partners to offer enhanced early learning opportunities, high quality
child care, and supports for the dedicated people who work with Island children.
Signed by: Honourable Gerard Greenan
Signed by: Paula Biggar
12 November 2009
4:16 p.m.
Support for Early Numeracy
Honourable Gerard Greenan gives notice that tomorrow he will move, seconded by Robert
Mitchell, the following Motion:
WHEREAS mathematical understanding is an essential competency in today’s knowledge
society;
AND WHEREAS mathematical learning begins at a young age and continues throughout
life;
AND WHEREAS a child’s ability to understand and apply math concepts is a strong
indicator of the child’s later success in school, at work and in life;
AND WHEREAS children who do not have opportunities to learn about numbers and
patterns when they are young are more likely to perform lower in math and other subjects
throughout the school years, to have fewer career options, to earn a lower income, to be
less active in the community, and less likely to reach their full potential;
AND WHEREAS teachers have a very important role in building mathematical learning and
there is a great deal of activity now underway in our schools to improve mathematical
learning such as a new math curriculum, new math assessments, major investments in
math textbooks, classroom resources and teacher training;
AND WHEREAS math should not be viewed as just something we do in school, but
something we do everywhere in life;
AND WHEREAS parents and communities have a powerful influence on how children
perform in math and they can help children to develop a positive attitude towards math;
AND WHEREAS school-based groups and Home and School associations now offer
tremendous initiatives to support math learning in the home and at school through such
activities as Family Math Nights, parent math guides and math information sessions for
parents;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that educators, employers, community leaders and all
Islanders support these and other initiatives that help children succeed in math and provide
parents with help to support their children’s learning.
Signed by: Honourable Gerard Greenan
Signed by: Robert Mitchell
12 November 2009
4:16 p.m.
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