FULL-DAY KINDERGARTENCheshire Public Schools

Feasibility Task Force Meeting

September 17, 2013

AGENDA Welcome Review Last Meeting Typical Full-Day in Kindergarten Option #1 and #1A – 2014 - 2015 Issues/Further Study Next Steps

FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION SHEETFull-day Kindergarten in Cheshire?

In the 2012-13 school year, approximately 74% of CT kindergarteners across 103 school districts were enrolled in full-day programs. Approximately 30% of the 103districts have instituted full-day kindergarten since 2011.*

Only 14% of school districts in CT do not have full-day kindergarten. By offering only a ½ day kindergarten program in Cheshire, we are in the minority of CT school districts.

For the 2013-14 school year, 12 additional school districts added full-day kindergarten.

Why is full-day kindergarten important?

A full-day of learning in kindergarten offers social, emotional and intellectual benefits to our youngest students. Students have more time to focus on learning, to reflect on their learning, and to transition between learning tasks. **

Full-day kindergarten offers teachers more time to assess students’ learning needs and strengths and to implement interventions and extensions to meet individual student learning goals.**

Longitudinal data demonstrates that children in full-day classes show greater reading and mathematics achievement gains than those in half-day classes. **

Research has demonstrated that funds invested in quality early education programs produce powerful returns on investment. **

Strong Public Support for Full-Day Kindergarten?

In a 2013 Cheshire town wide survey, 80% of respondents agreed kindergarten should be extended to full-day because it will provide more time during the day for children to learn the changing and more demanding curriculum expectations (as outlined in the recently mandated State Department of Education adoption of the Common Core State Standards).

What can you do? GREAT QUESTION…

DO your own research! A website has been created with resources for you to explore at http://www.cheshire.k12.ct.us/assistant-superintendent-for-instruction/full-day-kindergarten-feasibility-task-force

JOIN the full-day kindergarten email group to stay informed about upcoming issues and resources. To request to be added to the email group send an email to: cheshirefulldaykindergarten@gmail.com

TALK with Cheshire residents and share with them the benefits of full-day kindergarten.

• October 1, 2012-2013 SDE Kindergarten Enrollment. www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Early/KindergartenProgs.pdf

• **National Education Association. Full Day Kindergarten: An Advocacy Guide.

GETTING THE WORD OUT!

June 2013: Curriculum and Instruction Newsletter

Cheshire Marketplace BOE Curriculum Committee Meeting –

September 9, 2013 School Business Partnership Meeting –

September 10, 2013 Open House Sessions

A FULL DAY INKINDERGARTEN

“inch wide, mile deep”

8:55-9:25 –Arrival and Morning Meeting (30 min) 9:25-10:05 –Special Subject Area (40 min) 10:05-10:55 -Readers workshop including: mini-lesson, independent

read, buddy read, differentiated focus centers/small group instruction, individual conferencing and end of workshop reflection/share. (40 min)

10:55-11:35 -Writers workshop including: mini-lesson, conferencing and end of workshop reflection/share (40 min)

11:40-12:40 –Lunch and Recess (60 min) 12:40-1:10 -Science/Social Studies (30 min) 1:10-1:50 -Math Centers including daily mini-lesson (50 min) 1:50-2:30 –Developmental Play Centers (40 min) 2:30-3:10- Science /Social Studies (40 min) 3:10-3:20 –Closing Meeting and Dismissal (10 min)

Total minutes=380

TYPICAL FULL-DAY PROGRAM

WHY FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN? The learning process takes time.

Allows for longer blocks of uninterrupted instructional time.

Offers more time to progress though a curriculum that has changed and

increased as evidenced by mandates such as the Common Core State

Standards.

Enhances opportunity to provide a better balance of active and quiet periods to

support a developmentally appropriate environment for learning.

More opportunities to spend time engaged in active, child-initiated

activities.

Supports individualized pacing and workshop approach.

Curriculum/instructional improvement efforts will be more closely aligned with

other grades.

Emphasizes the process required to reach mastery of standard.

Offers more opportunities to build stronger relationships-Teachers with

students, teachers and parents, student to student.

Deeper and more thorough exploration of concepts.

More differentiation of instruction.

A full-day Kindergarten program allows teachers to be fully engaged in the social world of the classroom and be intentional in their interactions and instruction. With the many differences among—and wide age range of—kindergartners, teachers need to be responsive to developmental, individual, and cultural variation. Thoughtful, sensitive teaching promotes a joy of learning and prepares children for further academic challenges.

A FINAL THOUGHT

PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BY YEAR

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B

K 254 16 247 16 242 16 241 15 241 15 245 16 243 15 242 15

1 251 15 287 17 280 16 274 16 273 16 273 16 277 16 275 16

2 271 15 255 15 291 16 284 16 278 15 277 15 277 15 281 16

3 277 15 271 14 255 14 291 15 284 15 278 15 277 15 277 15

4 323 16 280 14 274 14 258 13 294 15 287 14 281 14 280 14

5 370 19 321 16 278 14 272 14 257 13 292 15 285 14 279 14

6 356 18 377 19 327 17 283 14 277 14 262 13 297 15 290 15

2011

114

2038

110

1947

107

1903

103

1904

103

1914

104

1937

104

1924

105

A = Number of Students Enrolled

B = Number of Classes

KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT IN CHESHIRE 2013 - 2016

Anticipated Enrollment Class Size

Budg# A.I. Total 16 18 202013 – 2014 = 228 + 25* = 253

Full Day Classrooms Needed = 16 1413

2014 – 2015 = 254 + 25* = 279 Full Day Classrooms Needed = 18 16 14

2015 – 2016 = 247 + 25* = 272 Full Day Classrooms Needed = 17 16 14

(*Saint Bridget’s Factor)

CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABILITY 2014 – 2015 UPDATED 9/5/13

Darcey 9 existing classroomsNorton 3(4) reduction in enrollment/use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)

Doolittle 1(2) use existing room(s)

Highland 6(7) reduction in enrollment/use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)

Chapman 2(4) use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)

Total 21(26)

CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABILITY/CAPACITY ESTIMATED TOTAL – UPDATED 9/5/13

Darcey -K 9Birth to 3 1Pre-school 5

Norton 25 Doolittle 30Highland 44Chapman 18 ___________________Total (Pre K – 6)132

K – 6 Total 126 Elementary 117

OPTION #1 SUMMARY 2014 - 2015

Full-Day Kindergarten in CPS:

Norton K – 6 (2/3 K classes)

Chapman K – 6 (2 K classes)

Highland K – 6 (4 K classes at Darcey 4 at Highland)

Doolittle 1 – 6 (4/5 K classes at Darcey)

Darcey – K classes: 8/9(4 Highland and 4/5 Doolittle) and B – 3/Pre-School

OPTION #1 – 2014 – 2015 UPDATED 9/5/13

Capacity 1- 6 Need K Total Norton (25) 22* 2/3 24/25Doolittle (30) 29 0 29 at Darcey (5) 4/5 5Highland (44)37 4 41 at Darcey (4) 4 4Chapman (18) 16* 2_

18__Total (126) 104 16/18

122*Increased Projection

EXPANDING OPTION 1

1A – Flexible Kindergarten Location Flexibility in kindergarten location based on

registrations due to fluctuating enrollment. Each year the district would review

kindergarten registrations based on existing school district lines and determine kindergarten location by matching enrollment with space availability. We would honor the home school concept with Darcey School being available to all students based a space needs.

ISSUE FOR OPTIONS #1 AND #1A

Lunch at Darcey – How will that work? Transportation Building Room Capacity – Will each building

have space to house the kindergarten classrooms and do these classrooms meet code requirements?

What are the estimated funding implications? Which Highland students will attend Darcey?

FACILITIES SURVEY

Kindergarten (and 1st Grade) – Basic Code Requirements Ground floor classrooms, 40-50 sq ft per student, Exit Door to

Outside Good news - we believe we’ll be compliant with some minor

improvements Sufficient classrooms in each elementary school?

Chapman – 2 classrooms available Norton – 3 kindergarten classrooms available? Highland – 6 classrooms available; Need 8x Doolittle – 1 classrooms available; Need 5 Darcey – Can accommodate 9 classrooms plus cafeteria in

lower level

Total cost of improvements in 10 classrooms estimated at $15,000

Total cost of cafeteria addition in Darcey depends on option selected

FOOD SERVICES OPTIONS Option 1 – Students Bring Their Own Lunch

Capital Investment - $25,000 Food Services Dept Net Budget Impact – None

Option 2 – Cafeteria Services with Hot Food Prepared Offsite Capital Investment - $165,000 Food Services Dept Net Budget - $1,900 annual profit

Option 3- Full Service Cafeteria Capital Investment - $250,000 Food Services Dept Net Budget - $2,300 annual loss

TRANSPORTATION

Assumptions:Norton and Chapman Schools – Can accommodate all their local kindergarten students with buses transporting K-6Doolittle – All kindergarten students will be transported to DarceyHighland – Will accommodate 4 classrooms of 16 students so 4 Highland kindergarten classes will be transported to Darcey.

This will require flexible district lines changing year to year.

TRANSPORTATION

Assumptions:Norton and Chapman Schools – Can accommodate all their local kindergarten students with buses transporting K-6Doolittle – All kindergarten students will be transported to DarceyHighland – Will accommodate 4 classrooms of 16 students so 4 Highland kindergarten classes will be transported to Darcey.

This will require flexible district lines changing year to year.

Expected Transportation Impact – $100,000-$150,000 combined expense reduction from savings on fuel and Dattco costs by eliminating 8 current mid-day routes to Darcey and up to 2 bus routes overall.

POTENTIAL FUNDING IMPLICATIONS(BASED ON 16 FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS) (11/12)

8 (?)Classroom Teachers $560,000 8 (?)Instructional Assistants $116,000 Furniture: Tables, Chairs, etc. $75,000 Materials/Supplies $50,000Total Cost

$801,000

Cost Savings: Transportation -$125,000

TOTAL $676,000

NEXT STEPS

October 7, 2013 – Share findings at the BOE Curriculum Committee meeting

Finalize Costs for Option 1