Our Programs
Academic Programs
Standard Courses Offered
StrongStart
Wednesdays 8:30-11:30 and 12:30-3:00
StrongStart Centres
StrongStart is an early learning, parent participation program for children from birth to school aged, who are not yet eligible for kindergarten, along with a parent, grandparent or caregiver.
School District 51 operates six StrongStart Centres. Centres are FREE for all families with children not yet in kindergarten. A one-time registration is required when starting the program. Programs run as per the current school calendar and are open on those days when school is in session. Program schedules will vary at each location, but all programs will include a nutritious snack, circle time and free play time. Families will also have access to the school library and the gym (at most locations).
The Centre’s educators are qualified Early Childhood Educators who lead the learning activities where children learn through PLAY! Carefully selected materials and activities will promote the social, emotional, physical, cognitive and early literacy development in each child. The time participating in a StrongStart program is a wonderful way to begin introducing your child to your neighborhood school community.
StrongStart BC – Province of British Columbia
Program Philosophy
· Parents and caregivers are children’s first and most important teachers.
· Everyone is special and unique and has a lot of knowledge to share with others.
· The experiences of the first five years in a child’s life set the stage for success in life.
· Children learn through discovery, exploration, and play.
Registration forms for StrongStart can be found on the school website or ask your StrongStart educator for a copy.
Please note that all children participating in StrongStart must be registered with the Ministry of Education and Child Care. Families can complete and print the registration form
online or they can fill out a hardcopy available from your educator at each location. In addition to the registration form, families will need to provide the following information:
· Child’s BC Health Care Card (or proof of application if new to the province of BC).
· Proof of child’s age and citizenship (Birth Certificate or Passport).
Once a child is registered in StrongStart, they are not required to re-register each year. However, a consent and emergency form is required yearly and will be distributed through the school each fall. Once registered for Strongstart, each child will be assigned a Personal Education Number that will be used when they enter Kindergarten.
Program Details
· First and foremost – ALL CHILDREN ARE WELCOME in a StrongStart facility.
· All Boundary StrongStarts programs are drop-in.
· You will be required to sign-in and wash hands when you enter the classroom.
· PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD IS SICK.
· The ministry has mandated NO CELL PHONE USE in any school buildings except for emergencies.
· Indoor shoes are required for safety.
· There is a sign located at each centre with GO – WE HAVE SPACE or STOP – WE ARE FULL.
On behalf of our StrongStart Early Childhood Educators in School District 51, welcome to our StrongStart community.
“We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Education”
Emergency Information Form – StrongStart
If you have any questions, email:
This program is fully funded by the Ministry of Education and is presented by SD #51
Arts Education
The Arts Education curriculum promotes the arts as a means of self-expression and understanding of identity, and as a place to connect with artists, art processes, artwork, and arts learning in students’ own community.
Arts education can be explored through four core disciplines-dance, drama, music, and visual arts. Arts education offers opportunities for students to explore, understand, respect, and appreciate their own and other’s cultural heritage through viewing and creating artistic works.
Applied Design Skills and Technologies
This year-long focus builds on student’s natural desire to explore how to harness the power of learning by doing.
Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies curriculum includes skills and concepts from the disciplines of Business Education, Home Economics and Culinary Arts, Information and Communications Technology, and Technology Education, as well as rich opportunities for cross-curricular work and space for new and emerging areas.
Some of the projects that students have undertaken include coding, robotics, learning to crochet, weaving, building birdhouses, and dreamcatchers, using computer aided design programs, learning about food safe ways to prepare cuisine and follow recipes, and developing their understanding of financial literacy.
Career Education
Career-life planning is not a matter of making one major decision and living with it for a lifetime.
The Career Education curriculum offers students an opportunity to explore career ambitions in a personally meaningful and goal-oriented way that is developmentally appropriate.
Through the development of personal interests, passions, and competencies students are able to reflect upon their learning experiences in school and community, build confidence through their contributions, and explore multiple career choices.
English Language Arts
The curriculum is designed to empower students by providing them with strong communication skills, an understanding and appreciation of language and literature, and the capacity to engage fully as literate and responsible citizens.
Students are guided to think critically, creatively, and reflectively to construct a sense of personal and cultural identity; and to be respectful of a range of perspectives and worldviews.
Mathematics
Having a strong mathematical foundation is an important part of daily life. Mathematical skills are essential for problem solving in most areas of life and help us to make sense of the world around us through observing, learning, and engaging in mathematical thinking.
Mathematics curriculum offers students an opportunity to go beyond numbers and symbols. It allows students to connect, create, communicate, visualize, and reason, as part of the complex process of problem solving. Mathematical habits help students to see the math in the world around us and help to generate confidence in their ability to solve everyday problems without doubt or fear of math.
Teachers strive to embed mathematics in issues, projects, and hands-on learning opportunities that are relevant in a wide variety of situational contexts.
Physical and Health Education
The aims of the Physical and Health education curriculum are to empower students to develop a personalized understanding of what healthy living means to them as individuals and members of society. There is a focus on well-being-the connections between physical, intellectual, mental, and social health.
Physical education focuses on the development of physical literacy which will contribute to building the competence and competence students will need to participate in a variety of activities and environments, including both indoor and outdoor activities, or walking to work.
Health education focuses on the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs related to health literacy and encompasses a number of important health and safety topics, including nutrition, prevention of illness and injury, decision-making skills, healthy relationship skills, mental well-being, sexual health, and substance use.
Science
The Science curriculum tells the story of science through principles and key concepts, emphasizing the ‘understanding’ of science.
For each are of science-biology, chemistry, physics, and earth, space, and environmental sciences-important concepts are introduced in Kindergarten and expanded in subsequent grades, resulting in a deeper understanding of science through an emphasis of hands-on, real-world learning experiences.
Social Studies
The primary goal of Social Studies education is to give students the knowledge, skills, and competencies to be active, informed citizens who are able to think critically, understand and explain the perspectives of others, make judgements, and communicate ideas effectively.
Through the study of historical events, students will gain an understanding of the people, places, issues, and events that have shaped the world they live in. The curriculum also provides students with an understanding of their place in the world and connections between the human and natural environment. The increasing cultural and economic interconnections between societies and the growing awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability make geographic understandings a crucial part of informed citizenship.
Through completing courses in Social Studies students have the opportunity to develop their understanding of Canadian society, their rights as a citizen, how to advocate for causes that are important to them, an understanding of the interdependence of economies, and how to be open to new ideas and civil to those with whom they disagree.
Adapted from material found on www.curriculum.gov.bc.ca
