An online version of SIRCH Community Service’s popular School’s Cool program is starting up this month, with coordinator, Brittany Rance, saying there’s space for up to 15 children.
The initiative has been running periodically since 1999, serving as an academic taster for kids preparing to enter the public school system. Rance noted the upcoming program is for children going into kindergarten in 2024.
“We like to say School’s Cool levels the playing field for every child. The program is dedicated to boosting your child’s confidence, getting them used to socializing with other kids, listening and responding to instruction, and learning new skills,” Rance said. “We work on mastering the alphabet, numbers, problem-solving, language, and math.”
The six-week program launches Jan. 15, running until Feb. 22, with four days of instruction – Monday to Thursday – for two hours each day.
The program is delivered by two instructors virtually via Google Classroom. Kits will be distributed to all participants, containing materials needed to complete activities. Rance said parents are required to accompany their child and assist with activities.
Participation is free, Rance noted.
This will be the second time the program has been offered virtually, following a pilot in October 2022. Rance believes there’s lots of positives to online learning.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids who can’t get out to still have access to learning and see other kids,” she said. “There’s a lot of misconceptions about online… but with School’s Cool, the instructors are really good about setting kids up for success. If we notice they’re getting restless, we’ll give them moving breaks, teach them ways to calm their body.
“Setting kids up for success is the primary goal. It’s important for them to start learning things on their own, getting used to being in a learning environment so that when they go into school it’s not so much of a shock. There’s a lot of anxiety around a child taking that next step and going to school. We work to ease that stress and build confidence as much as possible,” she added.
To learn more, or see if spots are still available email info@sirch.on.ca or call 705-457-1742.
