Schools

Board of Education Approves Third Extended Day Kindergarten Session

Move will bring 20 more Canton students into program.

The Canton Board of Education has approved a third extended-day kindergarten session for the 2012-2013 school year.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday night to follow the recommendation of Superintendent Kevin D. Case and add a third session. Earlier in the year, the board voted to continue with two sessions next year.

Case, however, said that lower numbers in first-grade enrollment would warrant one less section there, allowing the extra kindergarten session.

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“Because of the large demand and because we do have space available, I am recommending one additional session,” Case said.

In all, the district received applications from 62 families for the program.

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With 12 Project Choice Students from Hartford expected in kindergarten next year, 28 of the Canton students were accepted, school officials said.

With the two sessions, 28 of those were accepted through a lottery. Case said each name was picked out of a hat and listed in order. With the third session, 20 more will be picked by the numbered order — as would any for slots that should open up due to someone dropping out of the program. 

The three sessions would put four Hartford students in each. School administrators said diversity is one of the goals of the program and said the school also gets an additional $4,500 for each Hartford extended day student in addition to the usual $6,000 a year it gets for all Project Choice students. (Project Choice is one result of the 2003 Sheff v. O’Neill desegregation decision.)

With that and the $3,500 extended day tuition for Canton families, the program is self sufficient, officials said, adding that there is enough to also cover some students that could require financial assistance.

One resident spoke on the issue at the beginning of the board’s meeting.

Amy Miller said she and her husband waited an extra year to send her son to . He really needs the added attention of a full-day program and being next to last on the waiting list, there’s really no chance he will get there, she said.

“You’re still leaving some kids behind,” she said. “What can you offer those kids?”

Later in discussing the issue, some board members did ask administrators if the extended day students were far ahead of their peers.

With the program in just its second year, the data is incomplete, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jordan Grossman said.

He did, however, say that one positive for all students is that Canton uses many programs that individualize instruction.

With writing, for example, he said the “Columbia” method of reading and writing uses different books for students, depending on their level. In many cases, this has allowed students who are further behind to catch up during the year, he said.

“That gap has closed,” he said, citing an example of reading ability in one class this year.

Principal Andy Robbin said the school would also start tracking ability earlier in the year for kindergartners so it can better evaluate the effectiveness of the program over time. 


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