The Government of Ontario's full-day kindergarten initiative has been rolling out since September 2010. It will be implemented in all Ontario elementary schools by September 2014 and it will include before-and-after school programs for kindergarten children and school-aged students. The Ontario government is permitting school boards to allow third-party child care providers to deliver the before-and-after school program. However, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board is looking to possibly run this program themselves and phase out the role of licensed, quality child care centres located in 49 of its elementary schools. I believe that the OCDSB should be partnering with child care providers to deliver the before-and-after school program, not manoeuvring around them. Show your support by signing this petition.
WHEREAS there are forty-nine (49) third-party childcare centres operating within Ottawa Carleton District School Board elementary schools;
WHEREAS most parents often have to wait years before obtaining a spot for their child or children in these centres;
WHEREAS parents have planned years in advance for their child care needs, and have chosen, at great expense, to send their child or children to these centres because of the high quality Staff and programming that is available before and after school and which focus on early learning activities based on the developmental needs of children;
WHEREAS these centres are open when elementary schools are closed;
WHEREAS these centres are governed by the Ontario Day Nurseries Act as opposed to the Education Act;
WHEREAS these centres have become vital hubs within communities across the City of Ottawa;
WHEREAS the Ontario Ministry of Education is now permitting school boards to offer before- and after-school programs run by a third-party childcare provider;
WHEREAS third-party child care providers across the City of Ottawa want to partner with the OCDSB in implementing the extended day component of the full-day kindergarten initiative and have a proven track-record of providing seamless programming in existing centres;
WHEREAS there has been a lack of clear communication to parents and providers about the extended-day program;
WHEREAS Staff has indicated that they are meeting with third-party child care providers on April 28, 2011, to discuss the extended-day program;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
- THAT the Board shall allow third party licensed child care providers to operate their program model in their existing dedicated space;
- THAT Staff work with these providers to develop an integrated model for implementing the extended day component of the Province of Ontario%u2019s full-day kindergarten initiative; and,
- THAT Staff commit to holding timely meetings with parents using the services of these providers so that Staff can gain a better understanding of the impact that alternative extended-day models might have on students, parents and communities benefitting from the services provided by these providers.
