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Playschool merges with WHPS

Pre-K registration starting now
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Whispering Hills Primary School, in collaboration with the Athabasca Playschool Association will be starting Great Beginnings in the fall of this year.

ATHABASCA — In collaboration with the Athabasca Playschool Association and Aspen View Public Schools (AVPS), Great Beginnings is starting at Whispering Hills Primary School (WHPS) this fall. 

In a May 28 media release, Supt. Neil O’Shea said the Playschool Association has served the needs of young families for many years and there have always been ties between AVPS and the association. 

“There has been strong collaboration between the playschool, WHPS and Aspen View throughout these years, and all parties agree the time has now come to take advantage of the opportunities available by fully merging pre-Kindergarten programing into WHPS,” he said. 

Athabasca Playschool Association president Amelia Schoepp said they were looking forward to Aspen View taking over the pre-Kindergarten program through the Great Beginnings program. 

“We have seen the success of Great Beginnings programs in other Aspen View communities, and we believe this merger will be an improvement for education, benefiting children and the Athabasca community,” Schoepp said. 

The program will operate similarly to Athabasca Playschool at WHPS providing an inclusive, play-based program for children aged 3-4 years old, delivered by qualified early childhood educators with oversight provided by WHPS Inclusive Education lead Sheena Garton. 

Current plans, subject to enrolment, are to offer three-hour sessions on Monday to Thursday mornings and parents or guardians can register children in as many or as few sessions as they wish. The cost per session remains consistent with Athabasca Playschool fees at $12 per registered session. 

WHPS principal Lorna Anderson said one of the benefits of the two programs merging is it will remove some of the burden of fundraising from families as it will fall under school council which has a larger pool of volunteers to draw from. 

“It does alleviate some of the challenges that parents may have felt cumbersome like the volunteering,” she said in a June 4 interview. “Although we will of course continue to – as long as we can with COVID restrictions – invite them into volunteer, but the fundraising is the major piece that will be alleviated.” 

Anderson said staff are excited at the opportunity to build relationships with the youngest learners who normally wouldn’t attend WHPS until Kindergarten. 

“It will mean continued transition from the program to Kindergarten,” said Anderson. “I think we will have more of an opportunity to get to know families. We're really excited about it.” 

O’Shea noted the students will have broader access to services and programs AVPS already offers. 

“A seamless connection between Great Beginnings and WHPS helps introduce children and families to the school, and leads to a smooth transition into Kindergarten,” O’Shea added. “As well, Great Beginnings provides Aspen View with a more age-appropriate setting in which to provide additional supports for school readiness, including for students accessing Program Unit Funding (PUF) grants.” 

O’Shea said WHPS Great Beginnings will operate as a pilot project for the 2021-22 school year, with ongoing review to ensure its sustainability. 

Registration is open now on the Aspen View website under WHPS

[email protected] 

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