Marlboro BOE creates kindergarten enrichment program

The Marlboro Board of Education is rolling out a kindergarten program to complement the half-day program for the Marlboro Early Learning Center, which will begin in September.

138 interested families participated in an application process, followed by a lottery on July 22. Sharon Witchel, district community and school relations director, said the program offers full-day enrichment.  

The fee for the program is a total of $4,000, which the BOE pointed out is less expensive than some private kindergarten facilities.  Families pay $2,000 in August, and another $2,000.

As of the Aug. 9 board meeting, 100 families were accepted in the program, which is expected to generate $400,000 in revenue. $100,000 of that is estimated to be surplus for the BOE.

"Some of the funds will be put back into the program because it pays for teacher salaries, right now it is not possible to tell exactly where any additional funds will be spent because we don't know the exact dollars that will be generated from the program,” Witchel said.

“I have a concern about all of the 100 people paying the second $2,000,” Abbott said, citing difficult economic times. “I have already hired all of the teachers.”

The program includes enrichment activities, as well as lunch and recess for students. The day will last from 9:10 am to 3:40 pm, and will offer reading, math, science, social studies, music and art, according to a district news release.

The news release said, “Emphasis in the afternoon will be on initiative, including complex play and interdisciplinary thinking, fostered by the connections made between teachers and children in their learning centers.”

The board plans to begin the application process and lottery system much earlier now that it has more time to plan, in anticipation for the next school year.