We are excited to introduce a new pilot program at Iron Ridge Elementary Campus: the Early Explorers Program. This program offers an enriching, all-day, every-day Kindergarten experience. It is designed to cultivate your child's social, intellectual, and academic growth in a safe and welcoming environment through curiosity and play.

The Early Explorers Program aims to ignite a lifelong love of learning and empower children as capable learners. It offers wrap-around services (speech, OT, PT if needed) to build a strong foundation and engaging activities to develop essential social, problem-solving, and self-expression skills, fostering confidence and self-esteem.

Participating in the Early Explorers Program offers several benefits, such as: 

• A smoother transition into full-day programming in later grades
• Provides an opportunity for early assessment and intervention services if required.
• Increased independence, enhanced problem-solving abilities
• Greater exposure to the curriculum
• Improved social interaction. A significant focus is placed on developing crucial social-emotional learning skills.

The program thoughtfully combines our Half-Day Kindergarten, led by a certified teacher in a classroom setting focused on the Kindergarten curriculum and play-based learning, with an engaging extended day. This extension provides real-life, play-based experiences that introduce key concepts, support self-confidence through hands-on problem-solving and creative thinking, and prioritize holistic development tailored to each child's unique needs. Projects based on the child's interests will further foster their curiosity. Importantly, this program allows Kindergarten students to attend school for the entire day (8:10-2:50) and access the bus service with their older siblings (additional costs may apply depending on the distance you live from the school).

To be eligible, children must turn 5 years old by December 31st of the current school year. To run the program, we require a minimum of 20 students to be registered for attendance. There will be a monthly fee of $350 per student for the Early Explorers extension program. 

If you would like to register your child for the all-day Kindergarten Early Explorers program, click here to  Register. We look forward to welcoming your little explorer!