SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife school boards are working to ensure junior kindergarten students have a way to get to school next year when the program comes into effect.

Yk1 vice chairperson Duff Spence, left, chairperson John Stephenson and superintendent Metro Huculak are seen at a Nov. 8 meeting, where the board discussed plans to talk to ECE about bussing options for junior kindergarten students next year. - Kirsten Fenn/NNSL photo

At its Nov. 8 board meeting, Yellowknife District No. 1 (Yk1) said it is working with other school boards and First Student Cardinal Coachlines to come up with a costing plan for junior kindergarten bus services.

"If (junior kindergarten) does go through as part of the regular funded curriculum, then we need to consider the bussing option," Yk1 director of corporate services Tram Do said following the board's meeting.

"We want to be prepared and we want to consider all the costs so we can plan accordingly."

Yellowknife Catholic Schools, Yk1 and Commission Scolaire Francophone have a join contract with Cardinal Coachlines to provide bus services to students across the city.

Do said the school boards are considering getting busses equipped with seatbelts, special seats for small children and possibly an attendant who would ride with junior kindergarten students to help them get in and out of their seats.

"The issue with the bussing of JK is that there needs to be additional accommodations because of their size," Do said. "We've been given some options by the bussing company - whether we fit our current busses with special seats or we get special busses that are specific for JK."

Yk1 does not currently provide bussing for pre-school or junior kindergarten students, Do said, as they are too small and it is dangerous for them to ride on regular busses or with older students.

But because the school board provides bussing for other students, she said parents may be expecting it for junior kindergarten as well.

Do said the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) provides a portion of funding for bus services per student, while the school board contributes to the remaining cost.

"If they (ECE) fund us according to the same funding formula as kindergarten to Grade 12, then with each pupil there's an amount assigned to bussing," Do said.

The school boards do not yet know how much funding they will receive for junior kindergarten, or where those funds will come from. Superintendents are set to meet with ECE staff at the end of November to discuss the issue.

Yellowknife Catholic Schools assistant superintendent Janet Toner said the school boards haven't met with ECE to discuss bussing, but they have been in correspondence with staff at the department about it.

"ECE is fully aware of the bussing issue and I think it's just part of the entire issue with JK that they have to think about," Toner said. "We do have some concerns in terms of putting such young children on a school bus, but we're working with ECE to find a solution that works best for families and for the students and for all the school boards."

Do said she would be "concerned" if there was no funding provided by ECE for junior kindergarten and bussing next year.

"If the costs to bus JK students are a lot higher than the normal bussing, then we would need to consider options," Do said. "With the attendant, it's a cost over and above what our current costs are now."

She said the school boards also do not know yet what the demand will be from parents wanting to send their young students on busses.

The three school boards plan to meet with ECE in the near future to discuss the costing plan.

"We want to make this presentation to ECE together and see what their position is," Do said. "Everyone should be aware so we can plan accordingly."

Yellowknifer was unable to reach ECE or Commission Scolaire Francophone for comment before press time.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.