Schools

Will Westford Have Full Day Kindergarten?

Welcome to our "You Asked, Patch Answers" for Feb. 24.

Welcome to “You Asked, Patch Answers”, our weekly feature where we try to find answers for questions from Westford Patch readers.

Today’s question addresses Westford’s public school system, specifically the likelihood of Westford getting a full day kindergarten program in the future.

The answer? No, at least for the short term.

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A few years ago, superintendent Bill Olsen informed the School Committee that the price tag for a full day kindergarten program would be $800,000, a figure that would require a Proposition 2 ½ override under the town’s current financial situation.

Olsen acknowledged that given the town’s current fiscal difficulties, the School Department will not seek that route any time soon, but believes that it may be an option down the road given the fact that school enrollments in Westford are dropping, which would likely reduce the cost.

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On top of cost, Olsen believes that eventually it will become an imperative to maintaining the quality of the district.

“My fear is that if we don’t do something in the next few years, our children will be at a disadvantage in their development in the primary and elementary grades and beyond,” said Olsen.

However, if full day kindergarten does come to town, Olsen has urged that the atmosphere be focused on socialization rather than creating a “mini Grade One” where content was taught.

Under state law, all public school districts in the Commonwealth are required to provide at least half day kindergarten, which is defined as at least 2.5 hours per day, for 425 hours per academic school year.

As of the 2010 Fiscal Year, there were 188 districts in the state with all full-day kindergarten programs, most of which were in Western Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Boston suburbs inside Route 128.


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