East Haddam Full Day Kindergarten Proposal Passes Muster with the Board of Education

Last Tuesday night, October 11^th, East Haddam Superintendent of Schools Ellen Solek presented a proposal for Full Day Kindergarten to the East Haddam Board of Education. Highlights of the proposal include a fiscally-responsible package that would increase needed staffing while decreasing the requirements for mid-day bus runs, resulting in a total cost of about $15,000.00 to implement the program starting in 2012-13.

Solek explained that a district-wide survey went out to all parents of in-coming Kindergarten students this summer. Of the 79 respondents, 88% of parents expressed interest in a Full Day Kindergarten program and affirmed that they would send their children to a Full Day Kindergarten program if offered.  

Solek further explained that recessionary conditions, resulting in an unanticipated 20% drop in Kindergarten enrollments beginning in 2009-10, allows the district to consider the proposed Full Day Kindergarten program with ample available classroom space equaling four classrooms of twenty students each. This could be expanded to five classrooms if needed over the longer term.

Solek also highlighted the proposal’s incorporation of a partial day program in order to accommodate students who might not be developmentally ready for a Full Day Kindergarten program.

The positive parent survey response to a Full Day Kindergarten program coupled with the drop in enrollment and the resulting opportunity to offer the proposed program to all East Haddam Kindergarteners, resulted in the board’s consideration and adoption of the Full Day Kindergarten proposal.

The cost for the Full Day Kindergarten proposal will be included in the upcoming 2012-13 budget proposal for further consideration.