Full-day early learning Overview Parent/School Council Meeting

1. Full-day early learning Overview Parent/School Council Meeting

2. Full-day kindergarten • Ministry of Education began phasing in full-day kindergarten in Sept. 2010 • province's goal is to have the FDEL program fully implemented by 2015-16

3. Why implement FDEL? • Ontario investing in the education of its youngest students to prepare them for future success • economically sensible to put funding into early years • FDEL improves early literacy and math skills, providing a smoother transition to grade 1 • will help more students achieve success at school • will help create a stronger economy for the future • has the power to change the lives of children

4. FDEL in Peel • over 300 FDEL classes in Peel • 106 Peel schools currently offer FDEL • [insert number] of full-day early learning classes at our school – all kindergarten classes will be full-day

5. How were FDELschools selected? School boards recommended schools to the ministry based on the following ministry guidelines: • available space • community need • impact on existing local child care • student achievement • readiness to implement

6. What is FDEL? • Certified teachers and registered ECEs will work together in the classroom during the regular school day. • They will complement each others' skills sets to create a learning environment able to adapt to the unique needs of each child.

7. What will the program look like? The full-day early learning program has two components: • Core component – in each classroom, one teacher and one early childhood educator will work together to help children learn during the regular school day • Optional extended day component – before and after school programs led by a third-party provider

8. Class size The ministry has set the class size standard for FDEL at an average of 26 students on a board-wide basis—an average child-adult ratio of 13:1

9. What will children learn? Through instruction and play-based learning, children will: • develop socially and emotionally through interaction with their peers and adults • develop their early literacy and numeracy skills • engage in healthy physical activities and the arts

10. FDEL curriculum Curriculum is based largely on the current kindergarten program

11. How will FDELbenefit children? • provides children with high quality program • helps to lay foundation for a healthy, productive life • increased opportunities to socialize with peers • helps to develop academic and social skills necessary for school—including early literacy and numeracy skills

12. Before and after school programs • Third-party child care services will provide the extended day component. • Kindergarten classrooms may be used for before and after school programs.

13. What will the extended hours program look like? • provides children with high quality before and after school programming • a lunchroom supervisor will be assigned to every FDEL class – we are currently hiring for these positions

14. Is there a cost? • regular school day portion is part of Ontario's publicly funded school system • if parents choose to enrol their child in before and/or after school programs, they will pay a fee

15. Questions