StrongStart program will continue in Surrey next school year
Posted May 2, 2024 6:54 am.
Last Updated May 2, 2024 7:00 am.
After mounting pressure to keep the StrongStart program in place, officials say it will continue in Surrey for the 2024-25 school year, though with some cuts.
The district says it has “identified a viable short-term solution” to be able to keep offering the program at 23 schools. The district says the decision to keep StrongStart going for another year “underscores our commitment to early childhood education and its critical role in the developmental stages of young children.”
Parents have been pushing for Surrey Schools to keep StrongStart going, after the school board said earlier this year the early learning program may be cancelled as budget constraints squeeze already-stretched resources.
Currently, the program is offered in 25 locations.
“In response to the rising student enrolment, we have had to make the difficult yet necessary decision to repurpose classrooms at Georges Vanier Elementary and James Ardiel Elementary for kindergarten through Grade 7 students. This strategic adjustment ensures that we can effectively manage the growing demand for education while continuing to uphold our promise of quality K-12 education across the district,” the district explained Thursday.
Surrey Schools says it’ll work to ensure “a smooth and supportive transition to nearby StrongStart locations” for families in one of the two sites that will be cut.
The district notes there are schools where the program is offered near to both affected sites.
“We will make this adjustment as seamless as possible for families, minimizing disruption and maintaining the high standards of care and education families have come to expect from us,” Surrey Schools said in a statement.
