The Southeast Kootenay School District (SD5) will have 114 new before and after school child care spaces for the upcoming 2024/25 school year.
Board Chair Doug McPhee said these spaces will support the well-being of children and the needs of families in SD5.
“This has been a massive undertaking and is just the beginning of our journey toward the eventual delivery of wrap around, full day and before and after school child care throughout our District,” said McPhee.
In the spring of 2023, SD5 was awarded a grant for its Early Learning and Child Care Environmental Scan to better understand gaps in the region’s child care.
“This scan provided us with the baseline data needed to support a planned and integrated approach to strengthening capacity in our schools and enabling us to grow early learning and child care on school grounds,” said McPhee.
The study resulted in SD5’s introduction of an Early Learning and Child Care District Principal and hired Laura-Lee Phillips for the role.
Through her work and partnerships with non-profit groups, the district applied for the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund and received $2.5 million to expand childcare.
“The District has partnered with the Elkford Women’s Task Force Society to create 24 before and after school spaces at Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Elkford and with the South Country Social Planning Committee Society Jaffray to create 30 spaces at Jaffray Elementary Junior Secondary School in Jaffray,” said SD5 officials.
“In Cranbrook, Steeples Elementary School, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club is creating 30 spaces and Gordon Terrace Elementary School, in partnership with Stay ‘n’ Play Association are creating an additional 30 before and after childcare spaces.”
“Laura-Lee is doing an amazing job for the District”, said McPhee.
“While there are many other possibilities and partnerships she continues to explore, we are excited to see the first of her efforts come to fruition in the new school year.”
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