StrongStart Program

*Henderson is closed, Monday, December 9th, but our other sites remain open. Please join us at StrongStart GO or another location school based site.

StrongStart is a free drop-in program offered to families with children ages zero to five years old. Qualified early childhood educators lead learning activities and share valuable information with parents on child development and education in a safe, friendly, child-centered environment. This is a family program where parents/caregivers remain with their children and participate in the program together.

REGISTRATION

All children participating in StrongStart BC must be registered with the Ministry of Education. Once a registration is complete it can then be used for all K-12 schools in B.C.

qathet School District is using the MyEdBC on-line registration process for student registration. Parents will be able to create their MyEducation account by clicking on this link.

Select BC login account and begin to prepare your registration.

Please ensure you have the following information ready prior to proceeding

Valid email address.
Proof of child's age and citizenship (scan or photo) (Birth Certificate or Passport).

Once you submit your registration, you will receive confirmation via email.

Need Help with Registration?

For first time registration, follow along with this video
Once you have your parent portal password, follow along with this video

Paper registration forms are also available at all StrongStart locations and the School Board Office (4351 Ontario Avenue).

ATTENDANCE

Once you are registered you are welcome to attend any StrongStart centre in the qathet Region including our mobile program, StrongStart GO! Please ensure you record your attendance, using the electronic attendance forms provided at the entrance, each time you visit a StrongStart location. Participants can use the centre-based iPads or their own devices (using a QR code) to submit attendance.

StrongStart HOURS AND LOCATIONS

Elementary School	Location	Days Open	Hours of Operation
Edgehill Elementary	7312 Abbotsford St.	Closed for Construction

Henderson Elementary	5506 Willow Ave.	Monday	2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
		Tuesday - Friday	8:45 am - 11:45 am
Kelly Creek Elementary	2345 Zilinsky Rd.	Monday - Wednesday, Friday	8:30 am - 11:30 am
		Thursday	11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Westview Elementary	3900 Selkirk Ave.	Monday - Friday	8:45 am - 11:45 am
StrongStart GO!	Texada, Lund, Powell River	Monday-Friday	Visit our webpage for locations and schedule

*All StrongStart programs follow the school calendar (starting the second week of September) and will be closed on statutory holidays, Winter, Spring, Summer Breaks, qathet School District Pro-D Days, and the last Wednesday of every month. All school sites will be closed on large StrongStart GO event days.

StrongStart CALENDAR

NEWSLETTERS

In addition to our StrongStart centres and StrongStart GO visits, the qathet School District has online newsletters jam packed with resources and information, so families can enhance their early learning experiences at home. This online publication is a great way for our families to stay connected even when they are unable to make it into a centre. Our seasonal newsletters can be accessed here online and are also emailed to our registered StrongStart families.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

StrongStart BC is a government initiated program offered in public schools throughout the province of BC. This initiative supports smooth and successful kindergarten transitions for children and families, supports families as the primary educators of their children, and makes school facilities and resources available to the preschool population. This free program runs as a drop-in for children birth to pre-kindergarten entry who are accompanied by their parent/caregiver. StrongStart also encourages the development of support between families, so encourages families to bring one unrelated child in addition to immediate family.

Each program is facilitated by a certified Early Childhood Educator (ECE). Programs and activities are adapted to suit the age of participating children. Each child participating in StrongStart is registered with the Ministry of Education after completing the StrongStart registration form. To complete the registration process parents are asked to bring an official piece of identification (birth certificate, permanent residence card, certificate of citizenship, aboriginal status card, passport/visa). Registration information is used by the province to evaluate, plan and develop preschool programs provincially.

For questions, comments contact:

Raun Rainbow – District Principal of Early Learning and Child Care

Additional Information

Strong Start BC
Information from the Ministry of Education