Roller coaster year for school district
Cariboo Press - Vernon Morning Star
January 13, 2008

The past year has been one of highs and lows for the Vernon School District….

With school boards now known as boards of education, Turanski said they are now responsible for what he calls "cradle to grave," handling education for all ages, from preschooler to adult.

The Strong Start program at Harwood elementary is designed for pre-school children and is open to all kids in the district.

"It's a great program and it's not one where you just drop off your kids, you have to stay with them, and it doesn't matter if you're the parent, the grandparent, the caregiver. We put them through activities to help brain development.

"At a conference I've just returned from there was a discussion of the brain development that takes place in the first two years of life and how you really need to engage and get young kids involved. The added benefit with this program is it teaches the parents what they should be doing."

In the vacated West Vernon building, the North Okanagan Child Care Society is now operating, having relocated from its former space at Beairsto. The district has a contract with the society until the end of this school year and, while the ultimate goal is to sell the property, whoever buys it will have to honour the child care society's contract.

"The provincial government has first shot at it and there is a government agency who is interested. And if they decide they're not interested, then we move to the next level, which is local government. From there, it would be offered to the private sector."…