Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 10/99) - Preliminary efforts are under way in Rankin Inlet to see a preschool education program started in the community.

Sandy Kusugak is the program's contractor and says a number of people approached Myrna Michon at the Friendship Centre expressing the need for the program.

"This was coming from both parents and school staff, saying they felt a lot of the kids who enter kindergarten aren't ready," says Kusugak.

"They don't really have the skills they need. So, they enter already behind and that makes it difficult for them to catch up."

A steering committee was established and requested Kusugak to form both a long-term and a short-term strategy.

Initial funding was supplied by the Kivalliq Inuit Association to look at the resources already available in the community and conduct a needs assessment.

Kusugak is already in the process of writing funding proposals.

"Short-term, the idea would be for the program to run four to six months, from January to June, depending on how soon we can access some funding.

"This would provide for kids in the year just prior to beginning kindergarten."

The program could possibly see children attend three half-days a week, depending on space availability and funding.

It would focus on strengthening their language skills, co-ordination and other abilities they'll need later on in school.

"Because of my own knowledge and background as a kindergarten teacher, I have a big interest in early childhood education," says Kusugak.

"I will be conducting research and then making suggestions to the committee on what we should include in the program.

"It might be parent-child or outreach programs, classroom type settings, what seems to work in other communities and has funding potential."

Leo Ussak elementary school principal Cheryl Forbes says a preschool program would go a long way in giving kids readiness skills.

She says both parents have to work these days and just don't have the time to spend with their kids doing preschool development.

"Kindergarten is no longer just a place to play. Kids learn plenty of different skills there," says Forbes.

"These kids would be ready for the socializing aspects of it, co-operation, working as a group, etc.

"Anything we can do that's going to help support parents and enrich their children would be a valuable addition to the community."