Post by title1parent on Apr 22, 2008 5:45:28 GMT -5
Oswego OKs full-day kindergarten, mulls revisions on boundaries
April 22, 2008Recommend
By Elisabeth Kilpatrick ekilpatrick@scn1.com
OSWEGO -- School Board members approved a three-year pilot program for voluntary full-day kindergarten Monday, despite concerns among some board members about unforeseen costs.
The approved proposal will create 15 full-time kindergarten classrooms at Southbury Elementary School for 357 students, one-third of whom would be at-risk or disadvantaged students. The remaining two-thirds of the students would be chosen through a general lottery, and parents would pay a $250 enrollment fee.
Kathy Mundsinger, the district's director of teaching and learning at the elementary level, said between 60 and 80 percent of district parents polled about full-day kindergarten have said they would prefer it to the current half-day program.
Superintendent David Behlow praised the proposal, saying that strengthening early education programs will lead to stronger students down the road.
"It's the Mr. Goodwrench of education," he said.
However, some board members questioned the program's funding mechanism. The proposal costs $765,000 a year, and state aid, which will cover the cost of full-day kindergarten and then some, would not kick in until the program's second year.
Board member Andrew Wood worried about depending on money from the cash-strapped state for the program. The pilot program runs three years, he pointed out, but it will take five years to break even on the program.
"We could be out some money," he said.
The final vote was 5-2, with Wood and board member Andrea Schweda dissenting.
In other business, the board revisited the school boundary issue as it considered moving Lakewood Creek students from Plank to Traughber Junior High for the 2008-2009 school year.
The change would move 140 incoming sixth-graders to Traughber each year for the next three years, and move the same students from Oswego East to Oswego High School. The move is designed to combat the anticipated overcrowding at Plank.
Board members seemed torn over whether to amend the current boundary recommendations, which were adopted in February. Some voiced concerns about putting students through yet another school change, while others said distributing students evenly now should take top priority.
Board member Stephen Wolf said the board had "already waffled enough" and needed to make a decision.
The board has tentatively scheduled a special meeting on April 28 to hear public comments on the potential boundary changes.
April 22, 2008Recommend
By Elisabeth Kilpatrick ekilpatrick@scn1.com
OSWEGO -- School Board members approved a three-year pilot program for voluntary full-day kindergarten Monday, despite concerns among some board members about unforeseen costs.
The approved proposal will create 15 full-time kindergarten classrooms at Southbury Elementary School for 357 students, one-third of whom would be at-risk or disadvantaged students. The remaining two-thirds of the students would be chosen through a general lottery, and parents would pay a $250 enrollment fee.
Kathy Mundsinger, the district's director of teaching and learning at the elementary level, said between 60 and 80 percent of district parents polled about full-day kindergarten have said they would prefer it to the current half-day program.
Superintendent David Behlow praised the proposal, saying that strengthening early education programs will lead to stronger students down the road.
"It's the Mr. Goodwrench of education," he said.
However, some board members questioned the program's funding mechanism. The proposal costs $765,000 a year, and state aid, which will cover the cost of full-day kindergarten and then some, would not kick in until the program's second year.
Board member Andrew Wood worried about depending on money from the cash-strapped state for the program. The pilot program runs three years, he pointed out, but it will take five years to break even on the program.
"We could be out some money," he said.
The final vote was 5-2, with Wood and board member Andrea Schweda dissenting.
In other business, the board revisited the school boundary issue as it considered moving Lakewood Creek students from Plank to Traughber Junior High for the 2008-2009 school year.
The change would move 140 incoming sixth-graders to Traughber each year for the next three years, and move the same students from Oswego East to Oswego High School. The move is designed to combat the anticipated overcrowding at Plank.
Board members seemed torn over whether to amend the current boundary recommendations, which were adopted in February. Some voiced concerns about putting students through yet another school change, while others said distributing students evenly now should take top priority.
Board member Stephen Wolf said the board had "already waffled enough" and needed to make a decision.
The board has tentatively scheduled a special meeting on April 28 to hear public comments on the potential boundary changes.
