FULL-DAY KINDERGARTENFeasibility Task Force Presentation to the Cheshire Curriculum Committee of the Board of Education

October 7, 2013

TIMELINENovember 2012 Click Here - Why Full Day Kindergarten Presentation  Click Here - Board of Education Curriculum Committee Meeting Presentation

March 2013 Click Here - Board of Education Curriculum Committee Meeting - Kindergarten

Survey Results

April 2013 Kindergarten Feasibility Task Force was formed

May 2013 Click Here - Kindergarten Feasibility Task Force Meeting - Session 1

June 2013 Click Here - Kindergarten Feasibility Task Force Meeting - Session 2

September 2013 Click Here - Full-Day Kindergarten Flyer Distribution Click Here - Kindergarten Feasibility Task Force Meeting PowerPoint

Presentation - September 17, 2013

FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN TASK FORCE MEMBERS

Courtney Barber-Devine, Parent Deborah Burns, K – 8 Curriculum Coordinator Scott Detrick, Assistant Superintendent Ann Donnery, Principal Darcey School Lynn Glynn, Kindergarten Teacher Lynn Goldaper, Kindergarten Teacher Jill Hale, Parent Cathy Hellreich, Board of Education Member Russ Hinckley, Principal Chapman School Kelly Lenz, School Community Coordinator Jeff Natale, Parent Kristen Pannone, Parent Kathy Rahn, Teacher Elissa Tessier, Parent

PURPOSE This Task Force was formed in April 2013 to study the

feasibility of full day Kindergarten in the Cheshire Public Schools.  The Task Force was created after the Board of Education Curriculum Committee reviewed information regarding the need to explore this program change due to increasing curriculum demands and the need for more time to develop foundational skills for lifelong learning.  In addition, the Curriculum Committee of the Board of Education reviewed survey results that indicated a desire to investigate full day Kindergarten in Cheshire.

The purpose of this Task Force is to investigate the feasibility of full day kindergarten in the Cheshire Public Schools by exploring all options.  It is important to note that this Task Force will provide recommendations to the Curriculum Committee of the Board of Education with underlining assumptions that the recommendations will be based on what is best for children while at the same time is fiscally responsive to the needs of our community.

CONNECTICUT AND FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN – AS OF OCT. 2012

103 school districts; 7 Charter Schools and 11 Magnet Schools provide full-day kindergarten to all children.*

74% of Connecticut kindergarteners are in full-time programs.*

40% more districts offer full day K than five years ago.*

DRG B – Brookfield, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Granby,

Greenwich, Madison, New Fairfield, Orange, Simsbury, Trumbull, West Hartford, Woodbridge

*October 1, 2012 SDE Kindergarten Enrollment

WHY FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN?

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.

KINDERGARTEN: THE NEED FOR TIME

• Kindergarten is a critical year for all children – a year of transition from preschool programs or home to their first formal schooling.

• It marks the start of a child’s long-term K-12 experience in our schools.

• It is our first opportunity to get to know each child and begin to build important foundations to facilitate learning skills that will last a lifetime.

 

A FULL DAY INKINDERGARTEN

“inch wide, mile deep”

From 450 hours of time in school to 900 hours per year!

8:55 – 9:05 Arrival and Morning Routines (10 min) 9:05 – 9:25 Morning Meeting (20 min) 9:25 – 10:15 Readers workshop: mini-lesson, independent read,

buddy read, differentiated focus centers/small group instruction, individual conferencing and end of workshop reflection/share. (40 – 60 min)

10:15 – 10:55 Special Subject Area (40 min) 10:55 – 11:45 Writers workshop: mini-lesson, conferencing and

end of workshop reflection/share (40 – 60 min) 11:45 – 12:45 Lunch and Recess (60 min) 12:45 – 1:35 Math Centers including daily mini-lesson (50 – 60

min) 1:35 – 2:05 Science/Social Studies/Health (30 min) 2:05 – 3:00 Developmental Play Centers (40 min – 60 min) 3:00 – 3:15 Closing Routines and Meeting (15 min)

TYPICAL FULL-DAY PROGRAM

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 among—and wide age range of—kindergartners, 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.

A FINAL THOUGHT

PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BY YEAR

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 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

A = Number of Students Enrolled

B = Number of Classes

KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT IN CHESHIRE 2013 - 2016

2013 – 2014Projected Enrollment 222Actual Enrollment 217

Anticipated Enrollment Class Size

Budg# A.I. Total 16 18 202014 – 2015 = 254 + 25* = 279

Full Day Classrooms Needed = 18 16 142015 – 2016 = 247 + 25* = 272

Full Day Classrooms Needed = 17 16 14(*Saint Bridget’s Factor)

FEASIBILITY STUDY

Reorganization Space Factors Reconfiguring Space Factors Additional Options Cost Factors

CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABILITY 2014 – 2015 UPDATED 9/5/13

Darcey 9 existing classroomsNorton 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)

CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABILITY/CAPACITY ESTIMATED TOTAL – UPDATED 9/5/13

Darcey -K 9Birth to 3 1Pre-school 5

Norton 25 Doolittle 30Highland 44Chapman 18 ___________________Total (Pre K – 6)132

K – 6 Total 126 Elementary 117

FEASIBILITY TASK FORCERECOMMENDED OPTION FOR FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN IN CPS DURING THE 2014 – 2015 SCHOOL YEAR

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

RECOMMENDED OPTION – 2014 – 2015

UPDATED 9/5/13

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

18__Total (126) 104 16/18

122*Increased Projection

EXPANDING THE OPTION

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 on space needs.

FURTHER STUDY:ISSUES RELATED TO THIS OPTION

Do the existing classroom meet code requirements?

How will lunch be served at Darcey? How will this impact transportation? What is the estimated cost?

DO THE EXISTING CLASSROOMS MEET CODE REQUIREMENTS?

Kindergarten (and 1st Grade) – Basic Code Requirements Ground floor classrooms, 40-50 sq ft per student, Exit Door to

Outside Good news - we believe we’ll be compliant with some minor

improvements Sufficient classrooms in each elementary school?

Chapman – 2 classrooms available Norton – 3 kindergarten classrooms available? Highland – 6 classrooms availablex Doolittle – 1 classrooms available 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

HOW WILL LUNCH BE SERVED AT DARCEY? 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

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT TRANSPORTATION?

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

WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED COST?POTENTIAL FUNDING IMPLICATIONS(BASED ON 16 FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS)

Start Up Costs Furniture: Tables, Chairs, etc. $75,000 Materials/Supplies $50,000 Facilities Improvements $15,000 Cafeteria at Darcey – Option #2 $165,000Total $305,000

Staffing Costs: 8 Classroom Teachers $560,000 8 Instructional Assistants $116,000Subtotal $676,000

Cost Savings: Transportation -$125,000

Total $551,000

DECLINING ENROLLMENT SAVINGS ON THE INVESTMENT

2014 – 2015 - Add 8 Teachers 2015 – 2016 - Subtract 4 Teachers 2016 – 2017 - Subtract 3 Teachers 2017 – 2018 - Subtract 1 Teacher -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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