Before and After School Care

The Richmond School District is excited to offer a Seamless Day program at Whiteside Elementary School in September 2023.

Seamless Day Kindergarten is a Ministry of Education pilot program that provides the opportunity for Kindergarten children to attend child care in a Kindergarten/Grade One classroom with a team of Early Childhood Educators (ECE) and the classroom teacher. The morning ECE welcomes the children and provides before school learning and care for the children. The ECE remains with the children in the Kindergarten/Grade One classroom while working collaboratively with the classroom teacher in the design of both program and environment, using the Early Learning Framework as a guide. The afternoon ECE begin their shift mid-day, providing staff overlap and provides after school learning and care. This pilot program is designed to provide students with meaningful relationships, a sense of belonging, and excellent care and learning opportunities with the collaborative gifts of our Early Childhood Educators and Classroom teachers.

During the before and after school hours the ECE’s will provide play-based and developmentally appropriate activities for the children using classroom space as well as the playground, school garden, gym and library. The Whiteside Seamless Day program will use BC’s Early Learning Framework as a guiding document and the ECE’s and Kindergarten/Grade One teachers will work collaboratively designing the program and the environment.  

This program is designed to provide students with meaningful relationships, a sense of belonging, excellent care and learning opportunities with the shared gifts of our Early Childhood Educators and Classroom teachers. The program minimizes the children’s transitions throughout the day and allows them to spend their time in the same familiar environments throughout the school and with the same caring adults.