Support Our Kindergarteners By Implementing Full-Day Kindergarten

I am writing in support of the implementation of full-day kindergarten in Barrington in the 2013–2014 school year, when the State of Rhode Island, along with 44 other states, will be fully implementing the Common Core State Standards for students in kindergarten through grade 12.  

Our state mandates that we adopt these standards and the new kindergarten standards are written and designed for full-day kindergarten programs.  With this new curriculum, our current half-day program will not position Barrington's youngest learners for success.  This is unacceptable, particularly for a town with a public education program as renowned as ours.

At the May 9 School Committee meeting, the district curriculum director estimated that if the current half-day program remains in place next year, Barrington’s kindergarteners will forfeit - each day - a full hour of required academic learning.  Additionally, the half-day kindergarten program sacrifices opportunities for social and emotional development, key components of strong early childhood education programs. If Barrington does not adopt full-day kindergarten next year, these young students will be playing catch up for years to come.

As school administrators comprehensively explored implementing the full-day program, they determined that the only logistical hurdle to implementation this fall is financial.  There is sufficient space currently available in each of the elementary schools, and school administrators are certain that qualified teachers are available.  Three members of the school committee support implementation this fall if sufficient funds can be found within the current budget without causing disruption to other programs.  One school committee member supports implementation this fall, even if it will cause disruption to other programs.  One school committee member supports delaying implementation until next year.  I agree with the majority that full-day kindergarten should not be put off any longer, and I have every confidence that the school department can successfully implement this very necessary program in the coming school year. 

Regarding the budget, it is understandable to me that the implementation of full-day kindergarten, which brings 5 new kindergarten classrooms into the school system, in addition to the 6 currently in existence, each of which would have its own teacher's aide, would add costs to the school budget.  While the assessment of $633,000 was brought to the committee on appropriations at, or perhaps shortly after, the 11th hour, we should not allow our kindergarteners to be penalized.

I am relieved that the process of allowing a citizen to make a motion to add funds to the budget at the Financial Town Meeting is in place.  Without it, we would have no recourse, at this point in time, to attempt to provide the funds necessary to meet the needs of our kindergarteners.  It was observably contemplated, upon the ratification of the Town Charter that includes such a provision, that there would be occasions when citizens felt that the budget that was recommended by the Committee on Appropriations was deficient, and that an opportunity for redress ought to be made available to the citizens. 

This is one of those occasions. 

Please support our kindergarteners by coming to the Financial Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 22, at 7:00 in the high school auditorium and voting to add $633,000 to the school budget to fund full-day kindergarten. While this will increase our taxes, it will increase the taxes of the majority of us by less than $80 per year.  I assert that our kindergarteners are worth the cost.

Commitment to excellence in education is a hallmark of our town.  Full-day kindergarten will give our youngest students a strong and secure foundation upon which to build.  Implementation of full-day kindergarten in 2013-2014 can’t happen without your vote of support at the Financial Town Meeting. 

Sincerely,

Tricia Adams