4.3 Full-Day Kindergarten and Childcare

    Welcome to the Louis Riel School Division’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) 2023-27 action pages. For each strategic action, we are diligently taking steps to achieve our goals. Together, these goals strive to create the best possible educational environment for students, staff, and community. On these pages, you will find answers to two key questions: What have we done so far? And where do we plan to be by 2027?

    The Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) is already seeing positive impacts on students and families. This initiative is an important step toward supporting early childhood learning and well-being. 

    What have we done so far? 

    Thanks to a local taxpayer investment, Full-Day Kindergarten has been expanded to all 30 LRSD schools that offer early childhood programming. The addition of Full-Day Kindergarten helps address a growing need for full-day programming that supports working families and provides students with a nurturing and engaging learning environment. By extending learning time, students are given a stronger foundation to develop essential skills that will carry them throughout their academic journey. 

    The division has also taken strides to improve childcare for our communities. 

    • Successfully hired teachers, and Full-Day Kindergarten is now in full swing.
    • Completed classroom configurations to accommodate full-day classes.
    • Purchased necessary materials and equipment.
    • Conducted community consultation, particularly focusing on space concerns in Sage Creek, ILCS, and Van B. Met with these communities to find solutions.
    • Ensured that no childcare spaces were lost due to the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten.
    • Expanded space at three schools—Henri-B, Provencher, and another location—to increase childcare capacity for this school year.
    • Consulted with childcare partners and the Department of Education's Early Childhood Learning division to work towards creating greater ease of access.
    • Began discussions about adding prefabricated childcare facilities, with plans for two 104-space centers and two 40-space centers.

    Where do we plan to be by 2027? 

    The Louis Riel School Division is committed to expanding educational supports for multilingual learners (MLLs) to address the growing enrolment of newcomers and MLLs. These efforts ensure equitable and inclusive teaching and learning opportunities for all students. To achieve this, we will: 

    • Partner with a third-party researcher to complete a review of Full-Day Kindergarten outcomes (qualitative and quantitative), including lived experiences of families and teachers.
    • Bring together kindergarten teachers to share best practices and enhance capacity.
    • Bring together partners to incorporate land-based education in childcare learning.
    • Open a childcare centre in the new school serving the neighbourhood of Sage Creek Bonavista with a childcare provider.
    • Improve access to childcare centers.