After years of discussion and planning, full-day kindergarten is finally coming to Medford Township Public Schools.
Superintendent Joseph Del Rossi sent a letter to parents on Feb. 4 informing them full-day kindergarten will debut at all five of the district’s elementary schools for the 2015–16 school year.
Del Rossi believes the timing is right to implement a full-day kindergarten program. He said the new program will increase class time for kindergarten students to better prepare them for their academic futures. In addition, Del Rossi said the program will result in no additional cost to the taxpayer.
The district is able to pay for the program mostly through cost containment and a reduction of class sections in the older grades. With the district experiencing a decline in enrollment, the elementary schools will have fewer class sections across the board, which has freed up resources for full-day kindergarten.
“We are going to utilize that money and also make other sacrifices,” Del Rossi said.
The sacrifices Del Rossi referred to is a reduction in hours for teacher’s assistants. Some of the assistant hours will be shifted to kindergarten teaching positions.
Full-day kindergarten will also allow the district to save money on transportation costs. With the current half-day kindergarten, buses have to make a mid-day run to take morning kindergarten students home and bring afternoon kindergarten student to school. This run will be eliminated with full-day classes, saving the district approximately $72,000.
Classroom space will also not be an issue. Between space acquired with fewer class sections and space currently utilized for half-day kindergarten and the extended kindergarten program, there is plenty of room to house full-day classes.
“Each school will be able to house its own space,” Del Rossi said.
The district will only offer full-day classes next year. Half-day classes and the extended kindergarten option will not be continued.
Del Rossi said the extended kindergarten program, implemented for the first time this year, worked very well. However, it is no longer needed with full-day classes.
“We’ve experienced huge success with that program,” Del Rossi said.
With full-day class, kindergarten students will have more instruction time. However, Administrative Director of Programming and Planning Thomas Olson said there will not be changes to the amount of material the students are learning.
Instead, the additional instruction time will be used for better reinforcement. Olson said teachers will be able to do more enrichment and focus on individual students better. The increased instruction time will also allow classes to put more focus on science.
Kindergartners will also spend more time in art classes. The plan is to double the amount of music, art and physical education from 30 to 60 minutes per week.
The increased class time won’t just revolve around classes. Students will have additional time to play, socialize and better develop emotionally and behaviorally. The district feels this additional time is as important as the time spent in class.
“We want to be attending to the whole child,” Del Rossi said.
Del Rossi said reaction from parents has been overwhelmingly in support of a full-day program. He said some families have sent their children to private, full-day kindergartens in the past because of the lack of a program in the district. The district hopes to have more kids beginning their journey through the Medford Township School District in kindergarten than years prior.
The district is now accepting registration for kindergarten next year. Parents can register their child online at www.medford.k12.nj.us.
Anyone with questions about the program can contact the superintendent’s office at (609) 654–6416 ext. 8001.
