Waterloo Region District School Board (Learning Services - Early Years)

51 Ardelt Avenue
Kitchener, ON N2C 2R5
Phone: 519-570-0003
Fax: 519-570-5560
Website: www.wrdsb.ca 

What is the Waterloo Region District School Board (Learning Services - Early Years)'s role in early literacy?

• We address aspects of emergent literacy through the implementation of The Kindergarten Program (Ministry of Education, 2006) and The Full Day, Early-Learning Kindergarten Program (Ministry of Education, 2010) 
  
• Important areas we address are learning and language including focuses on oral language, reading, and writing

Who do we serve (our target population)?

• Elementary School sites: JK – Grade 8, ages 4 to 14
  

Where can you find us?

• 103 Elementary School sites located in the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo and the townships of Woolwich, Wellesley, Wilmot, and North Dumfries 

How do we provide early literacy support for families/caregivers?

• Partnership with The Learning Partnership through The Welcome to Kindergarten Program (in some schools)
• Home Reading Programs
• In-school Library
• Family Literacy Nights (at some schools)
• Intervention Programs: Corrective Reading and Empower
• Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
• School Councils
• Information about Literacy Events, Family Literacy Opportunities or Community Events for parents via School Newsletters or the Board website
• Young children are provided with a range of emergent and early literacy supports
• Children at risk for literacy development are identified and supported through an early literacy intervention with a focus on supporting at risk literacy learning in grade one

  
How do we provide early literacy support for service providers?

• Learning Services Consultants supporting Program and Special Education
• Learning Support Teachers supporting Literacy & Numeracy initiatives
• Early Literacy Intervention Resource Teachers
• Special Education Resource Teachers
• Speech and Language Pathologist Supports