Preschoolers across province welcomed to kindergarten

Kindergarten students and their families received a warm welcome into the school system at the Welcome to Kindergarten sessions held earlier this month.
"I was lucky enough to see the program in action at Glen Stewart Elementary recently," said Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Doug Currie. "This program is a great way for students and their families to get an understanding of what school will be like. It provides great resources and tips to help prepare our five year olds for success in school. It also encourages lifelong learning and it is a great way to get parents involved in the school community."
Welcome to Kindergarten is a program developed by The Learning Partnership, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a strong public education system in Canada.
"Welcome to Kindergarten has been developed to provide preschool children and their families with resources to begin their formal education with a foundation in early learning," said BJ Willis, program manager for Welcome to Kindergarten. "We want to make sure that our students are as prepared as they can be coming into the school system. This program encourages parents and caregivers to become involved in their child's school experience and provides students with resources that will prepare them for their formal education."
This spring, parents/caregivers and children were invited to attend a Welcome to Kindergarten orientation at their school. At the orientation, they received the early learning resources in the Welcome to Kindergarten bag and learned strategies for using the resources at home. These sessions allow families to connect with kindergarten teachers and school personnel and learn about benefits of family planned activities.
For more information on the Welcome to Kindergarten program or the Learning Partnership, log onto www.thelearningpartnership.ca.