School board to reconsider ‘Best Start’ program

The Rainy River District School Board was to consider two recommendations from its finance committee regarding the “Best Start” program at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
The goal of the “Best Start” program was to provide day care spaces in elementary schools to help children be ready to learn by the time they begin Grade 1.
The program also would have provided screening services to identify any learning disabilities or disorders so they can be treated early.
Paul Martin’s Liberal government had promised $1.1 billion in funding to Ontario over three years to launch the program, but plans have changed since the federal election Jan. 23.
“Due to the new federal government, years one and two funding are guaranteed, and year three funding has been cut,” the finance committee minutes read.
As a result, the committee is recommending the board rescind an earlier resolution to “approve the use of internal funds from operations to temporarily finance the ‘Best Start’ plan up to $864,116 until appropriate funds are received from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.”
The committee also is recommending the board “revise the ‘Best Start’ plan to expand J.W. Walker as first priority and continue to investigate the Rainy River Day Care pending receipt of the $451,493 ‘Best Start’ grant from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.”
Also Tuesday night, the board was to award its monthly Recognition of Excellence to the students and staff of North Star Community School in Atikokan for their participation in the “Jump Rope for Heart” program for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
This year, 75 students met twice a week, as well as after school, to participate in healthy activities through the month of February—and raised $3,500.
Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, which was to be held at the North Star school beginning at 7 p.m. (EST), the board:
•recognized the North Start Community School for its participation in the Achievement Schools Project, which has resulted in a 30 percent increase in EQAO scores in Grade 3 writing; and,
•recognized the work of school secretaries in its monthly Recognizing Excellence and Consistent High Quality (REACH) program.