Richard Froese
South Peace News
A francophone daycare program for children three to five years of age has opened in Falher.
Les Petits Bourdons Early Childhood Centre opened its doors March 3 at Ecole Heritage School as a project of the Conseil scolaire du Nord-Ouest, says a CSNO news release dated March 10.
The long-awaited program provides franco- phone families with a warm and stimulating setting for their young children.
CSNO Supt. Brigitte Kropielnicki is pleased about the new program that provides 16 daycare spaces and 14 preschool space for children who meet the admission criteria.
“This is an important milestone for our community,” says Kropiel- nicki.
“Thanks to the commitment of our parents and stakeholders, we can offer a rich learning environment where preschool children can grow, thrive and develop their francophone identity from an early age.”
The daycare meets an essential need for the Smoky River franco- phone community in the Falher-McLennan region, she says.
As well as a preschool preschool program, Les Petit Bourdons offers high-quality and accessible childcare, fostering children’s well-being while supporting efforts to preserve and strengthen the French language and culture.
The CSNO is committed to continue its efforts to meet the educational needs of francophone families in the region and to strengthen access to French-language services from early childhood. At is regular meeting Sept. 19, 2024, the CSNO board approved a plan to take steps to open a daycare program at the school.
After several expressions of interest, the CSNO conducted a survey to determine the overall interest and establish the number of children who could be enrolled in the program.
Numerous responses in a survey indicate enough children would enable CSNO to open a daycare and led to the board’s decision to move forward on plans.
More information about Les Petits Bourdon daycare is available by visiting the school website at heritage.csno.ab.ca.