In the KPDSB, we recognize that a child’s first years of school provide a foundation for their educational career. Our two-year Kindergarten programs provide rich learning environments to prepare children for success through Grade 12 and beyond.
We are proud to offer 28 Kindergarten programs within our 16 elementary schools, and 3 in our Virtual School, providing rich learning experiences designed to support the individual learners’ growth in each class. Our programs serve 560 four- and five-year-old children throughout the region. Our educators foster children’s natural curiosity, often allowing students to direct the learning in their areas of interest using authentic and hands-on learning opportunities, all while supporting the development of a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy.
Our educators recognize the many benefits of learning outdoors. In addition to spending time in fresh air and sunlight, outdoor learning also allows children to explore the natural world, providing unforgettable experiences and promoting the development of a rich vocabulary.
Valleyview Public School in Kenora and New Prospect Public School in Dryden offer French Immersion Kindergarten programs. In the first year of the program, children enrolled in one of these programs are immersed in the French language for 100% of their classroom day. This rich language environment provides children with a solid foundation in French while also providing them with experiences and strategies to promote their English skills’ growth.
This year, Kindergarten educators have led their professional learning, grounded in research and based on students’ strengths and needs. This has allowed us to be responsive to the unique and frequently changing circumstances of 2020 and provided students with learning experiences that best meet their learning needs in both in-person and online learning environments. The year 2020 has presented us with unforeseen challenges, which have fueled new and creative collaborations between school and home. Students in our Virtual School have benefited immensely from the collaboration between families and educators. We are grateful for the family support and for welcoming the classroom into their homes.
