Pleasant Valley looks at full-day kindergarten

One of the few local school districts without a full-day kindergarten program, Pleasant Valley may soon be changing that.

Pleasant Valley School Board heard a presentation Thursday night, led by Susan Mowrer Benda, curriculum director, and Roger Pomposello, elementary principal, advocating the start of full-day kindergarten in the 2019-20 school year.

“I implore the board to give this serious consideration moving forward,” Superintendent David Piperato said following the presentation. “We’re behind where we should be, and getting caught up is going to cost money. I respect that the board has to take into consideration the taxpayers of this district. We’re determining each and every day what the future of this community looks like, and that starts at the kindergarten level.”

Kindergarten teachers spoke Thursday about the lack of time for the honing of social development and conflict resolution skills with the compacted half-day schedule.

Teachers are currently limited to 30 minutes of math instruction time each day.

The plan presented to the board calls for seven kindergarten teachers and other staff, including reading and math specialists.

Implementing the program would cost $973,697, most of which would be salary for new employees. Of that, $728,064 would be a recurring cost.

The district would save 11 midday bus runs with the move.

“Investing in our youngest students pays off at all grade levels,” Benda said. “We’ve looked at many studies that show all-day kindergarten and tout the benefits it has regarding the whole child development; behaviorally, academically and socially.”

Benda noted that not all children come from the same type of households, and an all-day kindergarten program provides an opportunity for instructional equity and excellence.

“We’re striving to close that achievement gap,” she said.

Teachers said Thursday the program would improve students’ social, emotional and academic readiness in first grade, and give them time for more teachable moments such as sharing and having sympathy for others.

“We look at 5-year-olds coming into schools and sometimes think, well they’re just babies, but they’re not,” Benda said. “We’re working on educational stamina and how to grow that patience and stability.”

Early building layout plans show a whole wing of the elementary school dedicated to kindergarten. All classrooms would have their own bathroom.

The board gave the administrative team the go-ahead to begin working on parent informational sessions, which would likely be held this winter as plans progress.

Board approval for an all-day kindergarten program could come as soon as the next meeting in two weeks.

“I’m certainly all for this program,” said board Vice President Susan Kresge, “but I don’t have enough to make a decision tonight. Let’s see how the numbers shake out in the budget.”

The item will be placed on the next board agenda.