Full-day kindergarten given the OK
January 22, 2010
Wentzville
by Kris Kolk
The following is an editorial.
The Wentzville School Board voted last night 6 to 1 in favor of all-day kindergarten for two years, beginning the 2010-2011 school year. Board member David Ness voted “nay.”
Before the vote, board members addressed what appeared to be each and every concern a parent might have about full-day kindergarten. Their well-behaved, concise dialogue with one another reminded me of grade school plays in which each child gets a part, including children who might not otherwise speak.
Board members voiced concerns about Green Tree Elementary School’s space limitations. Also mentioned were options of bussing Green Tree area kindergartners to Prairie View Elementary as well as offering half-day kindergarten.
The option of installing modular classrooms at Green Tree seemed to provide the best solution.
The problem is, installing trailers at this Lake Saint Louis school would require a temporary zoning permit be approved by the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen. March 15 is the next Board of Aldermen meeting and in order to implement full-day kindergarten by next school year, the hiring process needs to begin before that meeting.
Another snag: the city permit, if approved, would only be good for six months at a time, requiring the board to reapply to the city twice a year.
Board member, David Ness, said:
“Don’t get me wrong, I think we need full-day kindergarten, but what I’m seeing here, if you go back a couple years, we rushed in. We made the community and the students pissed off, pardon my language, about from going from block to traditional.”
and
“I don’t think we need to rush into it.”
Superintendent Dr. Adams replied with the claim of:
“As far as rushing into it is concerned, there are 523 school districts in the state and if we don’t do this next year we’re going to be the only school in the state that doesn’t have a full-day option.”
Ness said:
“That doesn’t matter. That doesn’t matter to me at all.”
The Guiding Principals for our Schools (GPS) meeting results were often cited during the meeting as parents’ desire for all-day kindergarten.
Board member Joe McDonald stated there was “an overwhelming response from every corner to offer full-day kindergarten.”
However, the question put before GPS meeting participants was:
“Do you think the Wentzville School District should institute full-day kindergarten for the next two years while space is available?”
Space is only available if Green Tree area students are bussed to Prairie View. This is not a popular scenario.
Many participants gave stipulations with their “yes” answers to that question. Read the full GPS report here.
It was apparent to me, from comments made during open forums as well as references about board members’ e-mails from parents, that there is a considerable amount of opposition or at least concern about the logistics of implementing this issue.
My opinion is that full-day kindergarten is probably valid. However, I know children who’ve attended full-day and I’ve known children who’ve attended half-day kindergarten classes.
By the end of their public school careers, I don’t think kindergarten day duration made much of a difference.
Why the rush?
Copyright 2010 Neighbors About Town
