FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN
Feasibility Task Force Presentation to the
Cheshire Curriculum Committee of the Board of
Education
October 7, 2013
TIMELINE
November 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
IN
KINDERGARTEN
“inch wide, mile deep”
From 450 hours of time in school
to 900 hours per year!
TYPICAL FULL-DAY PROGRAM










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)
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 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.
PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BY YEAR
A = Number of Students Enrolled
B = Number of Classes
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
KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT IN
CHESHIRE 2013 - 2016
2013 – 2014
Projected Enrollment
Actual Enrollment
Anticipated Enrollment
222
217
Class Size
Budg# A.I. Total
16
2014 – 2015 = 254 + 25* = 279
Full Day Classrooms Needed = 18
2015 – 2016 = 247 + 25* = 272
Full Day Classrooms Needed = 17
(*Saint Bridget’s Factor)
18
20
16
14
16
14
FEASIBILITY STUDY
Reorganization
 Reconfiguring
 Additional Options

Space Factors
Space Factors
Cost Factors
CLASSROOM SPACE AVAILABILITY
2014 – 2015 UPDATED 9/5/13
Darcey
Norton
Doolittle
Highland
Chapman
Total
9
existing classrooms
3(4) reduction in enrollment/use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)
1(2) use existing room(s)
6(7) reduction in enrollment/use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)
2(4) use existing rooms (RAMS, etc)
21(26)
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
Elementary
___________________
126
117
FEASIBILITY TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDED OPTION FOR
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN IN CPS
DURING THE 2014 – 2015 SCHOOL YEAR
Norton
Chapman
Highland
Doolittle
Darcey –
K – 6 (2/3 K classes)
K – 6 (2 K classes)
K – 6 (4 K classes at Darcey 4 at Highland)
1 – 6 (4/5 K classes at 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
Norton (25)
22*
Doolittle (30)
29
at Darcey (5)
Highland (44)
37
at Darcey (4)
Chapman (18)
16*
Total
(126)
104
*Increased Projection
K
2/3
0
4/5
4
4
2_
16/18
Total
24/25
29
5
41
4
18__
122
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?


?
x

Chapman – 2 classrooms available
Norton – 3 kindergarten classrooms available
Highland – 6 classrooms available
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-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.
WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED COST?
POTENTIAL FUNDING IMPLICATIONS
(BASED ON 16 FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS)



Start Up Costs
 Furniture: Tables, Chairs, etc.
 Materials/Supplies
 Facilities Improvements
 Cafeteria at Darcey – Option #2
Total
Staffing Costs:
 8 Classroom Teachers
 8 Instructional Assistants
Subtotal
Cost Savings: Transportation
Total
$75,000
$50,000
$15,000
$165,000
$305,000
$560,000
$116,000
$676,000
-$125,000
$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
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT STEPS