ENFIELD — A proposal for an all-day kindergarten program will be considered by the SAD 31 school board during its meeting Jan 19.
About 30 parents turned out Monday to learn more about the proposal from the board’s curriculum committee.
The committee heard no opposition to the proposal, but parents suggested there be a transition period to help pupils adjust to the all-day program. Also, parents suggested additional teacher aides be hired to assist teachers in kindergarten and first grade.
Superintendent Terri Krass told the crowd that officials wanted to get input from the public before the committee made a recommendation to the board.
Krass said research indicated an all-day program was good for children, if a school district could afford the program. She said costs seemed to be the main consideration for most school districts.
“You are in a great position to look at that because your costs aren’t going to be that great,” said Krass. “Yes, there are going to be some compromises in terms of class size, and that is what you need to weigh,” she said.
Krass said the funds to pay for an all-day kindergarten program would come from the savings for noontime bus runs, which cost about $36,000 a year.
Currently, SAD 31 offers two sessions of kindergarten daily. In the morning sessions, which last two hours and 45 minutes, pupils receive all special programs including 20 minutes of literacy and math five days a week.
In the afternoon sessions, which last one hour and 55 minutes, pupils receive 20 minutes of literacy two days a week. Halfway through the school year, pupils who have been attending the morning session switch to the afternoon session and vice versa. Also, the school district offers a transitional first grade program.
With an all-day kindergarten program, Krass said, the transitional first grade program would be eliminated, which would make those class sizes larger, from about 19 to about 23 per class. She said the district plans to use funds from a federal grant to hire additional staff to reduce the size of the first grade classes.
Laura Cook, principal of the Enfield Station School, said regardless of school enrollments, the transition from a half-day program to an all-day program would mean larger class sizes whether it was this year or in the future.
“I don’t think we should wait any longer,” said Cook. The elementary school principal said 10 of the Penobscot County school districts had already switched to all-day programs. She said 54 school districts in the state currently offer all-day programs.
Sharon Crockett, who teaches all-day kindergarten in another school system, said she believes the program provides students with a stronger foundation to enter first grade. She said one of her biggest fears was whether the young pupils would get tired. She offers the children a rest time, which four to five use. Also, she said, a teacher’s aide assists her.
School officials said the advantage of an all-day program was that there would be more time for in-depth learning. Also, officials said parents would have the option to take their children home at noon if they believed it was in a child’s best interest.
School officials said details about what an all-day program would include, and other aspects, had yet to be worked out. Officials said those details would be ironed out once a decision was made about an all-day program.
“Once a decision is made, we can do some really in-depth talking,” said Cook.
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