Look Who is in the News!!

All-day kindergarten extends, expands learning opportunities

By Julie Slama (Murray Journal)
November 10, 2010


Horizon kindergarten teacher Lindsey Romero helps Josue Godinez pour sugar while making applesauce as part of the extended-day kindergarten program. During the exercise they talk about the concepts of more and less.

Three years ago, Madison Wold entered kindergarten knowing some letters and sounds, but couldn't match colors with their names.

Madison entered the optional extended-day kindergarten as one of about 24 students who needed the extra help at Horizon on the three-year program. Similar kindergartners entered the program at Liberty and Parkside, the other two funded programs, partially from the legislature and partially from Title I funds Murray School District channeled to the kindergarten program, said Asst. Supt. Steve Hirase.

"It made all the difference," Madison's mother, Nikki Wold, said. "She learned so much in Mrs. (Lindsey) Romero's class. She knew everything — her colors, numbers, reading. She just thrived and loves school. She knew so much more and was prepared to go into first grade. Kids absolutely need all-day kindergarten. They need the extra time to work and learn."

Madison now is doing well and is performing grade level in Horizon's Spanish Immersion program, her mother said.

Her kindergarten teacher credits the extended-day program with the time needed to cover more curriculum.

"It taught the half-day program before this option," Romero said. "It's nearly impossible to cover everything. This allows more time and the mastery of skills, instead of just the introduction and general coverage."

In all three extended-day programs, the teachers emphasized more time for literacy skills. By the end of the program, students were reading on grade level or above. Math mastery with number recognition and patterning also were explored.

This is the last year of the legislative funding and the future of extended-day kindergarten is uncertain.

"Unless the state funds the program or we have money from another source, we don't have the funding option to continue," Hirase said. "This program has closed the gap to almost non-existent between these students and those in the normal kindergarten program."

At Parkside, 23-year teaching veteran Rachelle Peterson said that at the start the year, many don't know their names, and some have never held scissors or a pencil.

"I read them a book and when I was done, there was just silence and eyes full of wonder. Many have never been read to. Then, one of them asked me to read it again," Peterson said, and she read the book again.

Art, music, poetry, folk tales, science, social studies and other areas are introduced and enriched in their curriculum during the day, often integrated into literacy and math lessons. But the teachers agree it's the small group and one-on-one attention, with the help of a full-time aide in each classroom, that makes the difference.

"It's the extra time that we have for literacy in the extended-day kindergarten that we don't have in the two-and-one-half hour kindergarten that makes the difference," Peterson said, adding that attendance has improved with all-day kindergarten students. "We can't make up for the lack of opportunities in five years without the extra time in schooling now."