Districts
planning all-day programs
State block grants give
school districts an incentive to make a push for all-day kindergarten.
By Robin
Huiras
Reading Eagle
Many Berks County educators have dreamed for years about establishing all-day
kindergarten programs.
But now $6.5 million in
state block grants for various educational initiatives, including all-day
kindergarten, is available to Berks County schools to pursue that dream.
That money, coupled with
ever-increasing research supporting the format, has given districts the
incentive they need to make a push for all-day programs.
Most Berks County school
districts currently operate traditional half-day kindergarten classes.
But administrators from
Conrad Weiser, Daniel Boone, Exeter and Oley Valley said the wheels are turning
to establish all-day pilot programs for the 2004-05 school year.
Other districts have held
serious discussions about setting up all-day programs in the future.
“We have been giving some
thought to it over the years, but it wasn't a popular item in this neck of the
woods until the governor started giving some thought to it a year ago,” said
Dr. Joseph S. Yarworth, Muhlenberg superintendent.
Yarworth believes
Muhlenberg will be ready to implement all-day kindergarten in the 2005-06
school year.
The 2003 state budget was
the first to offer funding to schools for all-day programming, said Bethany J.
Yenner, a department of education spokeswoman.
Gov. Ed Rendell has made
investing in early-childhood education a priority of his administration.
“We have proof that it
works,” Yenner said. “And we believe that starting with young people it's so
important to get them educated right off the start, to get them on the right
track by starting young, we really feel that's an effective way.”
Dr. Lawrence W. Mayes,
Antietam superintendent, said the issue was pushed to the forefront by the
growing amount of information elementary school students need to know to meet
state education standards.
More time in kindergarten
would aid students in mastering academic skills, and it would assist them in
learning social skills that are often glossed over in half-day programs, Mayes
said.
The Twin Valley School
District was the first public district in Berks to establish all-day
kindergarten, phasing in the program over the past five years.
This year, all Twin Valley
kindergartners attend school for a full day.
The Reading School District
operates two all-day kindergarten programs one at Lauer's Park Elementary and
one at Riverside Elementary.
Several private and
parochial schools also provide full-day classes.
Yenner said public school
districts can apply for their share of the state funding, which totals about
$175 million for the state's 501 school districts. Of that, $6.5 million has
been earmarked for Berks.
The money would pay for
more kindergarten teachers, classroom materials and curriculum development.
Space for the added classes
is often a concern for districts.
In Muhlenberg, for example,
more than $2 million would be needed to renovate and reopen the C.E. Cole
building, a former intermediate center.
Antietam is looking at
using the former Mount Penn High School, where a $6 million renovation project
is planned. That effort has been stalled by legal issues.
Costs associated with
providing building space would not be covered by state or federal sources,
Yenner said.
Contact reporter Robin
Huiras at 610-371-5037 or rhuiras@readingeagle.com.
Status of
all-day kindergarten programs and discussions in Berks County public school
districts:
Antietam Discussing options, but no target date to begin an all-day program.
Considering using space in the former Mount Penn High School, renting another
building or modular classrooms.
Boyertown No plans for all-day kindergarten. Planning to use state
block grant for programs focusing on needs of students who are new to the
district, as well as for remediation programs at the early elementary level.
Brandywine Heights Expecting to open discussions about all-day kindergarten at
the April meeting of the school board education and co-curricular committee.
Conrad Weiser Considering a pilot program for the 2004-05 school year that
would be open to students identified as needing additional support.
Daniel Boone Pilot program set for 2004-05 school year. It will consist
of two classes at the Amity Primary Center and one at Birdsboro Elementary.
About 60 students will be involved in the first year.
Exeter Discussions are continuing, but the district plans to have three all-day
kindergarten sections, one at each elementary school, for the 2004-05 school
year.
Fleetwood No present plans, but the board is set to discuss its
options at a meeting Tuesday.
Gov. Mifflin Discussions are continuing. No specific date for beginning
a program has been set.
Hamburg Discussing options. Plans depend on approval in preliminary budget at
board meeting May 24.
Kutztown Pilot program being discussed, but no target date has been
set. Administrators have visited other all-day programs and have held a workshop
for teachers.
Muhlenberg Discussing options. No target date, but officials are
hopeful a pilot program will be approved for the 2005-06 school year.
Oley Valley Discussions are continuing on plans to have two sections of
all-day kindergarten for the 2004-05 school year.
Reading Two all-day programs in place one at Lauer's Park Elementary and one at
Riverside Elementary. The school board has talked about expanding the program
to other schools, but space and money have been issues.
Schuylkill Valley Investigating the feasibility of all-day kindergarten, but
no plans are set.
Tulpehocken School board voted March 2 against implementing a pilot
program at the two elementary schools. The matter may be revisited in a few
years.
Twin Valley All-day kindergarten in place at all three of the
district's elementary schools.
Wilson No all-day kindergarten, but the district may consider it for the
2005-06 school year. Wilson operates a child-care program that allows
kindergarten students to attend the half of the day they are not in class.
Wyomissing Renovations at Wyomissing Hills Elementary School will
allow for all-day kindergarten in the 2005-06 school year.
Sources: School district administrators