Schools eye extended kindergarten

By MIRIAM MOELLER, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE — At least two area public school districts are considering a full-day, five-day-per-week kindergarten program at their board meetings Tuesday.


Gwinn superintendent Mike Maino said the board heard presentations on the the value of the “all-day, every-day” kindergarten program at its last meeting and the board is ready to vote on its implementation for the 2008-09 school year.


“The research shows that the number of students that have to go into a special needs program diminished, if they are in an all-day, every-day kindergarten program,” Maino said. “And test scores have shown to be better in the later years of students who attend all-day, every-day kindergarten.”


While Maino said the new program will be beneficial to the students, it will also ensure continued state funding for public schools in case a proposal by Gov. Jennifer Granholm is put into law. The proposal calls for less funding for schools that do not implement the extended kindergarten program, Maino said. But, Maino noted, neither does it offer any additional funding.


The topic of all-day, every-day kindergarten was also addressed at the latest Marquette school board meeting.


Board Trustee Scott Brogan said his kindergarten-aged daughter is usually exhausted after a full day at school, and he expressed concern that five days of all-day kindergarten each week may be too much for young children.


Board Trustee Joe Lubig encouraged the board to take a look at research on the topic before making any decisions to implement such a program.


In addition, Superintendent Jon Hartwig said that recommendations on this issue “are more likely to come from our strategic planning process.”


“With us it’s certainly a concern to introduce it and with no additional funding from the state, it would be a challenge to sustain it,” he said.


Maino said in the past he was also concerned about length and intensity of the program for his then five-year-old daughter, who was going to an all-day, every-day kindergarten program in Appleton, Wis. However, he added, “she loved it.”


“There is a concern of some parents that the day is just too long, but these programs are being done all over the country,” Maino said.


He added that the expectations for students by the state have increased all the way down to the kindergarten level.


“It’s hard to accomplish them when they’re only going half the time,” he said. “It’s costing us more; we have to add two full-time teachers, and we don’t get any additional funds. But we also know its good for the kids.”


Maino added that he is currently looking into funding for the program.


The NICE school district will also be considering the all-day, every-day kindergarten program at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Westwood High School. Gwinn schools’ special board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at the Gwinn High School Library.


The Ishpeming and Negaunee school districts are currently not looking into the all-day, every-day program.


“We do not have the physical space for two or three additional classrooms nor the budget to support the additional teaching staff this program would require,” said Negaunee schools superintendent Jim Derocher.