RED BANK — To cope with unexpected demand, Red Bank Public School District Superintendent Laura Morana said that she is looking to further expand the district’s prekindergaraten program.
“We are not meeting the needs of every family,” Morana said at a press meeting on June 9.
“I wish we had been able to do so this year, but the interest simply grew in such a way that the number of families interested exceeded any projections that we had.”
To meet the increased demand for pre-K slots, district officials decided to admit all interested 4-year-olds and held a lottery for the 3-year-olds.
Morana said that her goal is to find space for four additional classrooms.
“If we can get those four classrooms, then everyone in Red Bank would have an opportunity to be a part of the program,” she said .
Morana said that she is meeting with an additional community partner who may be interested in participating in the program or leasing space.
“Every effort is being made to maximize the space that we have and collaborate with every possible agency here in town to identify the space that we need to be able to expand the program,” she said.
Though she said that she was not prepared to name the organization, Morana said it is a good prospect and there is definitely interest.
The 4-year-old class increased by 34 children, Morana said.
To accommodate this increase, district officials decided to admit all 4-year-olds and fewer 3-year- olds, she said.
“We were not expecting an increase in the number of 4-year-olds that we were serving,” she said.
“The most pragmatic and beneficial decision to be made was to bring in all of the 4-year-olds.”
Holding a lottery for both age groups would create a potential gap between the 3- year-old pre-K class and kindergarten if some of those students did not receive a spot in the 4-year-old class, Morana said.
With kindergarten on the horizon, Morana said the belief is that it is more critical to increase the 4-year-olds’ school readiness.
To provide space for the pre-K program, the district currently partners with the Monmouth Day Care Center, Community YMCA and Acelero Head Start and leases classroom space from St. Anthony’s Parish.
“Without the partners, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing right now, and we do need additional physical space,” she said .
Red Bank Primary School Principal Richard Cohen said that he notices a distinct difference in kindergartners who have attended the pre-K program.
“There is a huge difference in the first day of schoolwhen kids are not school-ready,” he said.
“Everybody was happy to come in, they were happy to be in school.”
The school district expects to enroll 158 4-year-olds in the 2011-12 full-day program, or 100 percent.
It expects to enroll 90 3-year-olds in the program, or 62 percent.
Through its partner organizations, the district provides full-day pre-K programs to 81 percent of the 3- and 4-year- olds in Red Bank.
Any new partnerships need to be in place by October for state approval, since the state funds the $2.77 million expanded pre-K program.
“The success of the program continues to be one that further energizes people to do the best possible work, but at the same time it motivates people to move into Red Bank,” Morana said.