School classrooms to be refitted as day cares; School district employees to get first crack at day-care spots
The Daily Courier (Kelowna)
April 29, 2008
By: Don Plant

More child-care spaces will open in district schools, giving some relief for working parents.

The B.C. government has awarded $141,000 to day-care operators to renovate classrooms and buy equipment …. "It will make a difference - absolutely," said Lynn Burgat, executive director of the Kelowna Childcare Society. "We don't have enough childcare spaces for children of any age."

Thirteen elementary schools now provide about 200 spaces for preschool children. The three- and four-year-olds usually attend two or three times a week for play-oriented learning.

The new money, announced last week, permits day-care providers to introduce other forms of child care in district schools for the first time.

A grant of $41,565 will allow … 20 kinder-care spaces at Quigley. Children in kindergarten will attend the program when they're not in class.

The …Child Care Centre will use its grant of $99,803 to establish 20 kinder-care spaces as well as 20 day-care spaces…. The day care will be open to children ages 30 months to five years who aren't yet in kindergarten.

The school district hopes the new facility will provide a "seamless transition" for young children entering kindergarten from day care, said Judy Shoemaker, the district's planning manager.

"We find some children lack a readiness before attending kindergarten," she said. "There's no intent to turn little children into academics. It's readiness through play."

Parents who don't work for the school district may have a harder time reserving a space for their child, however.

Teachers and other school employees with young children have "some precedence" when the spaces open up, Shoemaker said.

"We are having a challenge with recruiting teachers and support staff in a time of a labour shortage," she said.

City Coun. Barry Clark got complaints last fall when he suggested City Hall employees should have free day care for their children to help alleviate staff shortages.

School employees will pay the same day-care fees as other parents, Shoemaker said.

… Still, a shortage of spaces for infant-toddlers will continue, said Burgat. Providing that level of care is challenging because the physical and staffing requirements are more stringent.

"It's hard to retrofit a classroom to accommodate that age group," Burgat said.