Kindergarten Day Set to Expand in Murrieta

Kindergarten is no longer all about graham crackers and naptime and Murrieta Valley Unified School District is taking note.

The school board unanimously approved the adoption of the Early Primary Program, the first of a series of policies allowing the district’s schools to extend the kindergarten day, during Tuesday evening’s meeting. 

“So this is the first step we’re taking to try to get our kindergarten students in class all day,” said Guy Romero, district assistant superintendent of educational services.

The board is set to vote on the second portion of the policy at its June meeting.

If approved, a move Romero is confident will occur, the policy will enable the district to extend the kindergarten day past the four-hour mark. Currently, Murrieta kindergarten classes cannot exceed four hours a day.

The idea to extend the kindergarten day came from the individuals who know those students best, the ones in the classroom every day--the teachers.

Kindergarten teachers at approached their principal with the notion to extend the day, noting that their students arrived to that first day of school a little behind the rest of the district’s students, placing them at an initial disadvantage, Romero said.

“Principals are taking it to heart ‘what can we do differently?’” said Romero, referring to the district’s goal to be innovative when it comes to educating its students.

E. Hale Curran, along with five other MVUSD elementary schools, are Title I designated, meaning they have a high percentage of low-income students. While kindergartners at schools in higher income areas may have already attended preschool, many of the students entering Title I schools have not received that early childhood education, Romero said.

And the E. Hale Curran teachers told district officials that they believed their students would benefit from a longer school day, Romero said. 

There are currently three kindergarten classes at E. Hale Curran and the ability to expand to five classes, according to the district. The plan is to also offer two extended-day kindergarten classes at with a goal to eventually expand the program to all of the district’s kindergarten classes, once space is available. 

If parents with children attending E. Hale Curran do not want their kindergartners to attend the extended program they will probably have the option to either pull their child out early or transfer to another school, Romero said.

In other district news, the board unanimously approved a more than $3.5-million contract with Delt Builders, Inc. and MC Painting for the Murrieta Valley High School Makeover Project.

“I can’t wait to see the result,” said Trustee Margi Wray, with a smile.

But Trustee Kris Thomasian was quick to point out that the general obligation bond approved by voters is funding the project, which includes major upgrades throughout the school.