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North Shore embraces all-day K 780 out of 1,060 NV kids in full program
Jane Seyd
jseyd@nsnnews.com
IN the playground of Carisbrooke elementary, a group of energetic kindergarten students clamber over the brightly coloured playground equipment. Some hang from the monkey bars while others climb up, shouting, to take turns going down the slides. The start of school is exciting — especially for children heading off to school for the first time, like this group of four- and five-year-olds. “Sometimes I think the parents are more nervous than the kids,” says kindergarten teacher Wendy Zubic. This year, these kids at Carisbrooke, like the majority of kindergarten-aged children on the North Shore, will attend school for much longer than the traditional half-day program. About 1,000 of the youngest students in North and West Vancouver are beginning their school years this month as part of the first wave of a full-day NEWS photo Mike Wakefield kindergarten program being introduced by the province over KINDERGARTEN teacher Wendy McNaughton leads a campfire song as Charlotte (left) and Reese tend to their make-believe fire during their first week of all-day K at Carisbrooke elementary in North Vancouver. two years. The number of kids enrolled in full-day kindergarten ranges from about 60 per enrolment — like North Vancouver — full-day cent of all kindergarten students in West Vancouver kindergarten has also proved an unexpected to about 75 per cent in North Vancouver — well boon, swelling the numbers of full-time students gather near the water tower north of Mountain above the goal of 50 per cent set by the Ministry and causing some families who may have been James Weldon Highway Monday night to celebrate the of Education. tempted by full-day programs at private schools jweldon@nsnews.com beginning of the school year. The event involved Next year, all kindergarten classes will be full- to reconsider. a large amount of alcohol, according to the day. In the North Vancouver school district, A North Vancouver end-of-summer North Vancouver RCMP, who broke it up late in The full-day program has proved popular with which is offering full-day kindergarten at 24 of high school party turned criminal on the evening. Many of the revellers regrouped at many North Shore parents, and both local school its 28 elementary schools this year, kindergarten the weekend when a young woman smaller gatherings elsewhere in the community. districts have been keen to embrace the program. enrolment has actually increased, from about was allegedly sexually assaulted and At some point during the process, the young Full-day kindergarten is based on research 1,000 students last year to 1,060 this year. Of another was reportedly attacked with women was allegedly attacked. Police released showing quality programs for very young children those, over 780 students will be attending school few details, saying only that the reported crimes can translate into better results for children later for the first time as part of a full-day program. a burning log. The bush party, which has become an annual on, both academically and socially. See B.C. page 5 event, saw up to 100 youths from various schools See RCMP page 5 For school districts fighting to maintain
High school bush party turns ugly