May 31, 2010
B.C.'s Oldest School Welcomes Youngest Learners

VICTORIA - Craigflower Elementary school, across the road from the original 1855 building, hosted a celebration today for the successful first year of its StrongStart BC centre, announced Ida Chong, Minster of Healthy Living and Sport.

"I am extremely pleased to be here to celebrate the success of StrongStart BC, at the site of the oldest schoolhouse in Western Canada," said Chong. "We are building on a great tradition and challenging ourselves to build an even better education system."

StrongStart BC is a free drop-in early learning program for preschool-aged children accompanied by a parent or caregiver. A qualified early childhood educator leads activities, including stories, music, and arts, to help children grow linguistically, emotionally and socially, and become comfortable in a school-like setting.

All of B.C.'s 60 school districts have been offered the opportunity to participate in the StrongStart BC program. The Province is investing $43 million to expand StrongStart BC, with more than 310 programs now operating across the province. StrongStart BC centres help fulfil government's commitment to use underutilized school district space to deliver early learning services.

"This new StrongStart BC centre in Victoria will mean that more children and families can receive support as they build the early literacy skills that are so essential to life-long success," said Education Minister Margaret MacDiarmid. "By working together with the school district and community, our government is helping preschool-aged children start school with the skills they need to succeed."

The Greater Victoria school district received $50,000 for the Craigflower StrongStart BC centre. This includes $20,000 to prepare in-school space, including renovations and the purchase of new equipment and learning materials and $30,000 to fund this year's operating costs, including staff, professional development, supplies and healthy snacks.

"A critical goal of these StrongStart BC centres is to encourage reading amongst our youngest learners," said Greater Victoria school board chair Tom Ferris. "This centre, located right in the school, fosters stronger literacy skills in children before they even enter kindergarten."

Since 2001, the Province has invested $1.4 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives, such as StrongStart BC early learning programs, almost $18 million to operate the kindergarten-readiness program Ready, Set, Learn and $2.7 million for LEAP BC resources that encourage literacy, physical activity and healthy eating in preschool-aged children.

Government has committed $280 million over three years to implement full day kindergarten for all five-year-olds in B.C. Full day kindergarten will be available for 50 per cent of kindergarten students in 2010 and for every five-year-old starting school in 2011.

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