4 Alberta schools considering full-day Kindergarten

Four Alberta schools in the Rocky View School Division are considering adopting full-day Kindergarten programs. If approved, the classes would begin as early as the 2026/27 school year. (Pexels/Pixabay)

Four schools outside Calgary are looking for feedback from parents as they are considering adding full-day Kindergarten classes as early as next year.

Rocky View Schools (RVS) has launched public engagement sessions for parents whose children would be attending Beiseker Community School, Chestermere’s Prairie Waters Elementary School or Cochrane’s Fireside and Rancheview Schools.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

Currently, most of RVS’ Kindergarten programs have students attending daily for half of the school day.

If the above schools were to change their schedule, Kindergarten students would attend full days on alternating days during the week.

RVS says the potential benefits of this swap could lead to deeper learning for students, fewer weekly bus rides, fewer daily transitions and better preparation for Grade 1.

Parents and caregivers may also enjoy simpler decisions for childcare as well as drop-off and pick-up schedules.

The board says some disadvantages could be that full days may be too long for some students, especially those who are five years old when they enter school.

There might also be less opportunity for play as longer days lend themselves to have more focus on academic tasks.

Officials say they want to hear from parents to understand the impacts of this change and willingness to move ahead with the proposal.

“Families have an important role to play as these schools consider changes to their Kindergarten programs,” said RVS’s superintendent of schools, Ryan Reed.

“We encourage families who might be impacted to participate fully in the engagement process.”

Information sessions will be held at the schools involved in the process later this month:

• Rancheview School – Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. at the school (2 Sundown Rd., Cochrane);
• Beiseker Community School – Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. through Zoom (passcode: 481396);
• Prairie Waters Elementary School – Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at the school (201 Invermere Dr., Chestermere); Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. through Zoom (passcode: PWE); and
• Fireside School – Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. at the school (12 Fireside Pkwy., Cochrane).

An online survey is also available for parents, which will close on Jan. 31.

Following the public engagement process, the principals of the schools will provide their recommendations to RVS’ superintendent on whether to make the change.