Full-Day Kindergarten

1
Full-Day Kindergarten

• Cheshire Public Schools
• Feasibility Task Force Meeting
• September 17, 2013

2
Agenda

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

3
Full Day Kindergarten Information Sheet

• Full-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-superinten
  dent-for-instruction/full-day-kindergarten-feasibi
  lity-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 cheshirefulldaykindergarte
  n_at_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/Kinderga
  rtenProgs.pdf
• National Education Association. Full Day
  Kindergarten An Advocacy Guide.

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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

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A Full Day inKindergarten

• inch wide, mile deep

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Typical Full-Day Program

• 855-925 Arrival and Morning Meeting (30 min)
• 925-1005 Special Subject Area (40 min)
• 1005-1055 -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)
• 1055-1135 -Writers workshop including
  mini-lesson, conferencing and end of workshop
  reflection/share (40 min)
• 1140-1240 Lunch and Recess (60 min)
• 1240-110 -Science/Social Studies (30 min)
• 110-150 -Math Centers including daily
  mini-lesson (50 min)
• 150-230 Developmental Play Centers (40 min)
• 230-310- Science /Social Studies (40 min)
• 310-320 Closing Meeting and Dismissal (10 min)
  
• Total minutes380

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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.

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A Final Thought

• 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 amongand wide age range
  ofkindergartners, 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.

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Projected Enrollment by Year
A Number of Students Enrolled
B Number of Classes
2015 2015 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019 2020 2020 2021 2021 2022 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
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Kindergarten Enrollment in Cheshire 2013 - 2016

• Anticipated Enrollment
• Class Size
• Budg A.I. Total 16 18 20
• 2013 2014 228 25 253
• Full Day Classrooms Needed 16 14 13
• 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 Bridgets Factor)

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Classroom Space Availability 2014 2015 Updated
9/5/13

• Darcey 9 existing classrooms
• Norton 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)

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Classroom Space Availability/Capacity Estimated
TOTAL Updated 9/5/13

• Darcey -K 9
• Birth to 3 1
• Pre-school 5
• Norton 25
• Doolittle 30
• Highland 44
• Chapman 18 ___________________
• Total (Pre K 6) 132
• K 6 Total 126
• Elementary 117

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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

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Option 1 2014 2015 updated 9/5/13

• Capacity 1- 6 Need K Total
• Norton (25) 22 2/3 24/25
• Doolittle (30) 29 0 29
• at Darcey (5) 4/5 5
• Highland (44) 37 4 41
• at Darcey (4) 4 4
• Chapman (18) 16 2_ 18__
• Total (126) 104 16/18 122
• Increased Projection

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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.

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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?

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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 well 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 8
• 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

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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

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Transportation

• Assumptions
• Norton and Chapman Schools Can accommodate all
  their local kindergarten students with buses
  transporting K-6
• Doolittle All kindergarten students will be
  transported to Darcey
• Highland 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.

20
Transportation

• Assumptions
• Norton and Chapman Schools Can accommodate all
  their local kindergarten students with buses
  transporting K-6
• Doolittle All kindergarten students will be
  transported to Darcey
• Highland 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.

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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 50,000
• Total Cost 801,000
• Cost Savings Transportation -125,000
• TOTAL 676,000

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Next STEPS

• October 7, 2013 Share findings at the BOE
  Curriculum Committee meeting
• Finalize Costs for Option 1