It’ll be interesting to see what Wellesley decides about full-day kindergarten. As Jaclyn Reiss reports in this Globe West story, Wellesley runs its kindergarten program similar to Newton’s with two long days and two short days. One of the objections people have to changing it is that the town would have to pass an override to pay for it. Nobody has calculated — or is saying — how much money is needed.
Wellesley debates full-day kindergarten, override for funding it
by Nathan Phillips | Oct 24, 2013 | Newton | 3 comments
At least Wellesley has a SERIOUS conversation going on that is public. Last year a group organized by Emily Norton spoke at the school committee meeting and NOTHING has happened since then . . . . this is a SERIOUS question but no one who can change it has COMMITTED to it, other than things are fine the way they are now. . . . .
As much as I’d love it, at this point I’ve just concluded that it is a tax. Most of our schools have after school programs for the short days, and from what I’ve observed it is just “school” called by a different name. At least for the kindergartners. So we pay extra and get the extra schooling. Sort of like a concentrated override just on parents…
Cabot has a problem in that the program is oversubscribed. Which makes this in a lottery, which is unfair.
The other problem, to be blunt, is that once your kids are done with kindergarten, it is harder to push for it. And since it takes multiple years to possible achieve the goal, it narrows the number of people who want to devote the time/energy to get it accomplished.
Frankly, the fact that Newton schools don’t have class on Tuesday afternoons is also shocking. We have a pretty pampered school system. A good one to be sure, but not always focused on what is best for the kids…
My kid are DONE with kindy, but I am a firm believer in FDK, and will help any committee to get it going!