School off to an early start for Junior Kindergarten students

School is off to an early start for the Rainbow District School Board’s Junior Kindergarten students. Children beginning school this fall are invited to take part in the Board’s Kindergarten Camp.

The five-day program will run from 9 am to noon from Monday, August 24th to Friday, August 28th. There will be enhanced health and safety protocols.

Kindergarten Camp participants will be limited to smaller cohorts, with priority for children with no formal childcare experience. As directed by the Ministry of Education with guidance from Public Health, children will be encouraged but not required to wear a mask. Cleaning and disinfecting will take place with a focus on high-touch surfaces. As always, safety is first and foremost.

Under the guidance of qualified teachers and designated early childhood educators, children will get a preview of daily routines in preparation for the start of school, including proper hand hygiene and physical distancing. Children will also take part in activities through indoor and outdoor exploration and inquiry. Please note that play structures will remain closed until further notice.

Children must be registered at a Rainbow School to attend the Kindergarten Camp. Sufficient registration is required to ensure the viability of each program.

To register, please complete the survey at https://bit.ly/rdsbkcamp.

The deadline to register is noon on Monday, August 17th.

Parents/guardians will be notified about their child’s participation in the program by email by Wednesday, August 19th.

“Kindergarten Camp introduces children to Rainbow Schools and the wonderful experiences that await them in Kindergarten,” says Director of Education Norm Blaseg. “We want to ease the transition from home to school, give children an opportunity to become familiar with staff, meet classmates, get excited about starting school, and gain a sense of comfort with health and safety protocols in an age-appropriate manner.”

Kindergarten Camps may be hosted at the following schools pending sufficient enrolment: A.B. Ellis Public School, Adamsdale Public School, Alexander Public School, Algonquin Road Public School, Assiginack Public School, C.R. Judd Public School, Central Manitoulin Public School, Charles C. McLean Public School, Chelmsford Valley District Composite School – Elementary, Churchill Public School, Copper Cliff Public School, Cyril Varney Public School, Ernie Checkeris Public School, Lansdowne Public School, Larchwood Public School, Levack Public School, Little Current Public School, MacLeod Public School, Markstay Public School, Monetville Public School, Northeastern Elementary School, Princess Anne Public School, Queen Elizabeth II Public School, R.H. Murray Public School, R.L. Beattie Public School, Redwood Acres Public School, S. Geiger Public School, Valley View Public School, Walden Public School and Westmount Public School.

Transportation will not be provided for this program.

If you have not registered your child for school, there is still time to do so. Please contact the Rainbow School in your area or email [email protected].

The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8th. There will be no early dismissal on the first day.

-30-

Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.