Seine River School Division places a high priority on early child development and learning. They support parent and child programs, early learning programs for four-year-old children and an extended kindergarten day with early childhood educators. In addition, there are seven childcare centres or nursery schools that operate in the division's schools, run by Child Care Manitoba or independent operators.
The two early learning programs for four-year-old children called Little Learners are located in Ste. Anne and Richer. There are parent and child programs in six schools, Arborgate School, Richer School, Dawson Trail School, Ecole St. Adolphe School, and Parc la Salle School. Programs are also available for parents and children in the German language in Dawson Trail School and Arborgate School. During the summer, the division provided parent child programming one day per week in the communities of Ile des Chenes and Lorette.
The extended Kindergarten day programming is available at 8 of our schools – Arborgate School, Richer School, Ecole Ste. Anne Immersion, Ste. Anne Elementary School, Dawson Trail School, Ile des Chenes School, Ecole St. Adolphe School, and Parc la Salle School. Students spend half their day with a classroom kindergarten teacher and the second half of their day with an Early Childhood Educator. Further information on this program, Kids at Play or KAP, is found on the division website.
Seine River School Division believes the research that clearly indicates that a child's early years are critical to lifelong development. Providing children with a strong start in the early years will result in positive outcomes for families, communities and the province as a whole.
More information can be found regarding Early Childhood research at the government website http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/childhood/.