By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – A committee that explored the possibility of switching from a half-day kindergarten program to a full-day kindergarten program in the Millstone Township K-8 School District has recommended maintaining the half-day program.
The panel’s findings were presented to the Board of Education on Feb. 13.
At present, the school district provides a half-day kindergarten program. Kindergarten pupils attend the Millstone Township Primary School from 9:05-11:45 a.m. or from 1:05-3:45 p.m. The cost of the half-day kindergarten is covered by the school taxes a property owner pays.
Residents who want their child to receive a full day of instruction during the year the child is in kindergarten may pay an additional $4,250 and their child will attend a kindergarten program that runs from 9:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
To examine the possibility of offering a full-day kindergarten program that would not have an additional tuition cost, the Full-Day Kindergarten Committee held five meetings between November and February.
The committee was comprised of district administrators, staff members and residents, including Board of Education Vice President Melissa Riviello and Superintendent of Schools Scott Feder.
Topics discussed and researched by the committee members included the academic value of a full-day kindergarten program, community opinion and the financial impact of a full-day program.
In the end, the committee recommended maintaining a half-day kindergarten program for the following reasons:
- The committee said its research did not support a long-term academic advantage of full-day kindergarten for affluent communities such as Millstone Township
- Per the results of the committee’s survey, which had 460 participants, public opinion on full-day kindergarten was inconclusive
- The fiscal impact of a full-day kindergarten program is substantial and neither reductions in current school programming nor increased school taxes are desired by residents
- Maintaining the half-day kindergarten program will still permit the optional full-day kindergarten to exist in the district
- The loss of a choice between half-day kindergarten or full-day kindergarten (i.e., requiring every child to attend full-day kindergarten) was a concern for residents
- The money used to fund a full-day kindergarten program could instead be used to improve the district’s entire K-2 program.
Resident John Vitug, who served on the committee and has twin children entering kindergarten, spoke about the committee’s recommendation to maintain half-day kindergarten.
“As a behavior analyst, I will admit I am biased toward full-day kindergarten,” Vitug said. “Full-day kindergarten seems like the answer, but it isn’t. We did extensive research and even looked at research in other countries and in homeschooling, and full-day kindergarten just wasn’t the answer. The money for full-day kindergarten could be better spent elsewhere.”
The committee’s finding that there were no significant academic advantages in attending full-day kindergarten was supported by Millstone Township Primary School Principal Trisha Bogusz.
“Even as early as the first month, we can’t see a difference between half-day and full-day kindergarten students,” Bogusz said. “We can’t tell an academic difference between them.”
During the meeting, some residents voiced concern about the half-day program and said parents who work full-time will have difficulty in terms of child care with a child who is only in school for a half-day.
When asked how administrators would use the district’s finances to improve the K-2 program, Feder said the improvements would be decided during the development of the budget for the 2017-18 school year.
School board members supported the kindergarten committee’s recommendation.
“The fact that the data did not support a clear academic benefit of full-day kindergarten is the most compelling finding to me,” board member Kevin McGovern said. “Our job is to run a school and deliver an education. Using money where it is best used for the education of our students is consistent with our mandate as a board.”
Board members voted to maintain the district’s current kindergarten program, subject to further discussion and review of costs.
Board President Salvatore Casale, Riviello, McGovern and board members David DePinho, John Sico, Billy Hanson, Cynthia Bailey and Margaret Gordon voted in the affirmative. Board member Amy Jacobson was absent.
Final considerations and motions regarding full-day kindergarten are expected to be made no later than Feb. 27, according to committee members.