StrongStart Surrey: Program will continue, district decides [Video]

An early education program that was at risk of being cancelled in Surrey will continue for the upcoming school year, the district announced earlier this week.

StrongStart was potentially going to be shut down in Surrey after already facing cutbacks due to limited provincial funding. But on Tuesday, Surrey Schools said it had found “a viable short-term solution” to continue offering the program at most of the sites in the district.

District chair Laurie Larsen said two out of the 25 StrongStart sites were closed to operate as classrooms. Funding from ReadySetLearn, another early learning program, will also cover the deficit.

“It is very disappointing on all levels,” Larsen said. “I think StrongStart is one of the first programs that we have had to make an action towards other than the changes to the school timetable.”

There are “other cuts on the way” with the proposed budget being announced later …