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By Abby Zieverink

Full Time Kindergarten

GPPSD expands KinderPAL to nearly all elementary school sites for 2022/23

Feb 2, 2022 | 5:41 PM

The Grande Prairie Public School Division (GPPSD) has expanded its full-time Kindergarten program to nearly all of its elementary schools for the 2022/23 school year.

GPPSD Deputy Superintendent James Robinson says KinderPAL was piloted for the current school year at six of the 15 GPPSD elementary school sites.

Since piloting KinderPAL, Robinson says they received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from the community, teachers, and families which prompted their decision to expand KinderPAL to 13 of its 15 elementary school sites.

“We made that decision to expand (KinderPAL) to all of our other elementary school sites with the exception of a couple of sites that have some of their own specialized programs that already take place.”

Robinson describes KinderPAL as an all-day-everyday learning option for kindergarten students.

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“It consists of regular programming for half of the time the student is with us and the other half of their time is spent in a structured play and learn experience facilitated by an early learning instructor,” he explained.

“We really believe that the combination of a curricular-focused instructor-certified teacher along with the play and learn program led by an early learning educator; benefits students.”

GPPSD officials have noticed the “idea of school readiness” has been evident among students enrolled in KinderPAL.

“That idea of school readiness, kids will come into Grade one more prepared with a better foundation in numeracy and literacy, they will understand school routines a little bit more and really critically, having social experiences and having the skills around interacting with others that will help them be advantaged and more ready to start learning in Grade 1.”

He adds the full-time Kindergarten program also follows the division’s three-year education, which focuses on quality teaching and learning experiences.

“Knowing that we have a pilot program that’s currently in place that works very well to achieve a lot of the goals that we have established in that education plan made it an easy decision to make to say you have a good thing that’s happening, it benefits a lot of children, let’s expand that as much as we can and offer that opportunity to as many young people as we can in the community.”

KinderPAL is planned for the following GPPSD schools for the 2022/23 school year:

• Alexander Forbes School
• Aspen Grove School
• Avondale School
• Crystal Park School
• Derek Taylor Public School
• École Montrose (French Immersion)
• Hillside Community School
• Isabel Campbell Public School
• I.V. Macklin Public School
• Maude Clifford Public School
• Riverstone Public School
• Roy Bickell Public School
• Swanavon School

The GPPSD says KinderPAL hours follow the school’s full-day bell schedule and calendar.

Online registration for KinderPAL starts March 2 at 8:30 a.m. with pre-populate forms beginning February 23.

RELATED: GPPSD also looking to offer full-day option for Kindergarten students