Pre-schoolers and their families living in rural parts of the Shuswap area will be able to attend a new StrongStart BC early learning outreach program this September.

The North Okanagan-Shuswap school district will open the StrongStart BC outreach program this fall so that local families living in Celista, Sorrento and Falkland can take their children to learn through play while interacting with each other and a licensed early learning educator.

The school district will receive $52,000 for the new outreach program. This includes $20,000 to purchase transportation for the mobile program, new equipment and learning materials, and $32,000 to fund this year's operating costs, including staff, professional development, supplies and healthy snacks.

Quotes:

Minister of Education and MLA for Shuswap, George Abbott:

"Over the last five years, we have seen the StrongStart BC program grow from 12 pilot projects to 316 programs across the province, with another 10 opening this September. We are committed to the expansion of this valuable program and are focused on communities with the greatest need for support of children and their families."

North Okanagan-Shuswap board of education chair, Bobbi Johnson:

"We have a number of families living in rural areas of our school district who have not been able to attend the StrongStart BC programs we currently operate here in North Okanagan-Shuswap. Opening more of these programs will benefit all families in the district regardless of where they live."

Quick Facts:

* The first StrongStart BC centre opened at Mountain View Elementary school in Revelstoke in 2006 and, as of September 2011, there will be 326 operating across B.C.

* The centres also provide valuable referrals to community resources for parents, grandparents and caregivers.

* In 2009-2010, there were nearly half a million visits to StrongStart BC programs across the province (476,000) with more than 24,000 children participating.

* Since 2001, the Province has invested $1.4 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives, such as StrongStart BC early learning programs.

Learn More:

Learn more about StrongStart BC programs: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/strongstart_bc/

Learn more about full-day kindergarten programs: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/fdk/

Resources for parents: www.learnnowbc.ca/LearningResources.aspx

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement

Ministry of Education

250 356-5963

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect