SPARK!
School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast) has initiated a SPARK! Program,
designed to 'Support Parents Along the Road to Kindergarten.' Parents can
sign up for the program prenatally, and are invited to attend a ninety
minute session every Fall, Winter and Spring until their children enter
Kindergarten. In SPARK! families reflect on how children learn and grow.
The Early Learning Framework provides the foundation for the discussion,
and parents attend classes with other parents who have children the same
age. Once the children are over one year old, the school district works
with community partners to provide childcare at no cost to families.
SPARK! classes are held in our Early Years Centres in Gibsons Elementary
and Sechelt Learning Centre, and sessions for families with three year
olds are held in all of our elementary schools, to give families a chance
to attend a SPARK! Ready, Set, Learn session in their neighbourhood
school. Families are provided with materials and toys when they attend the
program. Parents can also register for the Dolly Parton Imagination
Library at SPARK!, which mails a free, age-appropriate book to their
children every month until their fifth birthday. The SPARK! program is
founded on a philosophy that learning happens naturally, through the
experiences, relationships and joy that families share with their
children. Families enjoy the opportunity to gather together with other
families who have children the same age to exchange ideas, and to reflect
and celebrate their children's learning and growth.
To register, phone (604)885-6787 or email:
register4spark@sd46.bc.ca
For more information, contact Kirsten Deasey, Early Learning Coordinator at (604) 741-5787 or by email at
kdeasey@sd46.bc.ca