SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Yellowknife public school district's free pre-kindergarten summer school opening next month has already led to a small exodus of children from at least one daycare centre, according to its executive director.

Linda Benedict, executive director of Yellowknife Day Care Association, has lost four children enrolled in the daycare's program to Yellowknife Education District No. 1's new pre-kindergarten summer school. - Adrian Lysenko/NNSL photo

The Yk Education District No. 1 program, which is being offered to parents with children ages three to five, will run June through August. Linda Benedict, executive director of Yellowknife Day Care Association, said she has lost four children to the free program, and won't be able to hire an additional worker due to the loss.

"It puts day homes in a quandary," said Benedict. "They lose their kids for the summer program."

The Yellowknife Day Care Association, which has a daycare located on 51 Street, has 10 staff members, and 56 children enrolled in its summer program. The cost of enrolment at the daycare is $775 a month per child.

Benedict met with other licensed day home owners on Thursday at the Yk1 district office where they met with trustee members and employees with the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment, who she said assured them the program will not be offered again in 2011.

"As far as I'm concerned this is only a one-time seat grab so kids will go to their schools," said Benedict.

"If they only do it for one year, we can survive and get over it, but if it happens another year it's a whole different story."

Yk1 is spending $150,000 of its $2.1 million budget surplus to launch the program.

The summer school provides "an opportunity to kids that maybe parents can't afford for whatever reason to go a play school, and gives them a needed boost before they go into kindergarten," said Duff Spence, chairperson of the Yk1 school board, at a board meeting last week.

Benedict said it's insulting the school board would suggest day homes and preschools in the city aren't preparing children for kindergarten.

Tanya Murphy, executive director of the Northwest Territories Montessori Society, said she is not overly concerned that Yk1's summer school would attract children away from Montessori classes, but acknowledged it could be a problem for other institutions that offer daycare or preschool.

"It's possible it could, it is a free service and daycares are not," said Murphy. "There is a potential."

She said that the new program is aimed toward future Yk1 education students where Montessori accepts all children. The Montessori summer camp targets children ages three to ten, while Yk1's new program is geared for children entering kindergarten.

Daycares in the city have had their troubles in recent years; the Kid's First Child Development Centre and Northern Tykes day services closed their doors due to financial difficulties.

According to the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment there are 36 day homes and 12 day schools and preschools in Yellowknife.