Northern Lights Public Schools is strengthening its early childhood programming with a new Kindergarten+ pilot program for the 2026-2027 school year.
"Kindergarten Plus+ will enhance the half-day Kindergarten curriculum with enriched, play-based learning delivered by certified Early Childhood Educators," explained Lorrie Makepeace, Director of Learning - ECS to Grade 6 Instructional Support. "This will provide consistency and sustainability to the program, and support early intervention and student growth."
This new model was introduced at Ecole Plamondon School earlier this year and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from families.
Students enrolled in Kindergarten will spend half of their time with a certified teacher focused on the outcomes included in the provincial curriculum. The rest of their time will be spent in the Kindergarten Plus+ program with certified Early Childhood Educators who will provide enriched learning opportunities based on Flight: Alberta's Early Learning and Care Curriculum Framework, which focuses on learning through play, exploration, and discovery. This collaborative approach ensures that students receive a seamless transition throughout their day and a strong foundation for their learning journey.
The certified Early Childhood Educators will be part of the division's Care to Learn Early Childhood Education team, which also includes daycare, preschool and out of school care programs. This will allow the division to access funding through the Child Care Affordability Grant to invest in the program.
"Northern Lights has been providing a full-day Kindergarten program for 25 years because we believe it builds a solid foundation for learning," said Board Chair Karen Packard. "This pilot program will help us to ensure that we can continue to provide a strong start for our youngest learners at no cost to families."
The new Kindergarten Plus+ program will be piloted in all NLPS elementary schools in 2026-2027. As part of the pilot process, parents and guardians will have multiple opportunities throughout the year to provide feedback to help the division evaluate the program and ensure continuous improvement.
"We will be working closely with families to ensure that the program is meeting their needs and discuss how we can work together to continue to enhance learning opportunities for students," said Makepeace.
Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is now open! For more information about the program and how to register, please visit our website: nlpsab.ca
