Cass District 63 Approves Full-Day Kindergarten

It’ll be a full day for the kids who start kindergarten at next year—literally.

The voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a move to full-day kindergarten starting with the 2011-12 school year.

At two previous meetings, the board discussed the merits of shifting to the full-day model from half-day classes for kindergartners. 

Concord Principal Laura Anderson to the board during its January meeting as a way to provide more opportunities for intervention with students who are struggling socially or with early-learning skills. She noted that the school is seeing an increase in the number of students who need extra help.

The new schedule would also roughly double the amount of time for learning each day from two to four hours, she said. 

Some board members during the February meeting over the timing of the change. 

“We’re so much better financially than we were five years ago, but I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet,” said Board President Mike Webster.

“I’m not concerned about the educational value of full-day kindergarten,” added Board Secretary Beth Lopez. “I know it’s valuable. I just don't know that it's the right time.”

During the same meeting, board member Shelly Camden said she is in favor of extending the kindergarten day.

“If it’s important enough for the administration to bring the issue to us and do all this research and provide these studies we have, I think it’s worthy of our time,” she said. “I think we would be remiss in our obligation to not consider doing it.”

Superintendent Kerry Foderaro thanked the board Tuesday before the vote for its careful consideration of the proposed change.

“I appreciate your sensitivity in looking at all aspects of this recommendation—not just how it affects the kindergarten but its effect district-wide,” he said. No further board discussion happened Tuesday prior to the vote.

In addition to extending the day, the school will add an interventionist into each kindergarten classroom who will work with students on specific skills, Anderson said. The school would likely employ the interventionist in place of a teaching assistant.

Parents could opt out of the full-day kindergarten if they felt it was not appropriate for their child, Anderson said. 

Concord’s kindergarten registration took place March 3.