1. Plymouth Public Schools Full-Day Kindergarten 2011 – 2012 Program Update2012 – 2013 School Year

2. Program Highlights • Two programs being currently offered – Hedge and Cold Spring • Full time Kindergarten teacher / 1 part-time Paraprofessional • All students participate in : Physical Education, Art, Music, Computers, and Library • Tuition : $4,000 (Reduced tuition for those who qualify / Vouchers) • Lottery was held on May 26, 2011 • All students who applied were offered a position due to parents changing their mind or parents electing to send their child to Carver

3. Reflections • Application process was very smooth • Lottery was smooth • Parents and students overall are very satisfied with the program • Programs have blended well into the school buildings • Need to conduct application process and lottery earlier to allow parents time to plan, prevent confusion between schools and obtain student records sooner • Widespread advertisement of the program • Need to clarify Full Day Kindergarten Calendar

4. Survey Results • 28 completed surveys • 14 completed surveys from HES • 14 completed surveys from CSES

5. COMMENTS Scholarship application confusing Staff was extremely helpful Some confusion as to how many spots were available. A lot of rumors floating around about who and how children were placed.

6. COMMENTS Make the January payment later (Feb or March), tough right after holidays Monthly would be easier, but harder to collect for the office. Three payments were difficult. Five payments would be more manageable. The more payment options the better.

7. COMMENTS Orientation was good for a brief overview of the curriculum, but I didn't really get much information once the school year started. I'm not really clear on what she is supposed to know by the end of this year. I would recommend providing more clarity for orientation day as I was not aware that my child was starting her first day of Kindergarten on the same day. The parent teacher conference (December) actually gave me insight as to the "expectations" of kindergarten (January and end of year) with respect to letter/sounds/reading, etc. and the actual report card set up. I would have preferred that information in September. Love the program I still feel like my child won the lottery with her education. I really enjoy the program that I would like to keep my daughter at the same school even though it is not our district. It would have been helpful to get a copy of the full day schedule so parents would understand what their child's day is like. This would aid parents in supporting their child's learning and build a strong home-school connection right from the start.

8. COMMENTS This program is great because it allows the teacher to work with each student at his or her own level. My daughter is very enthused by what she is learning in school and I have noticed significant improvement in her reading abilities. Student loves the program & she is doing very well. I think she finds it easy, but she hasn't lost interest. She is becoming a reader, which excites her. Also, I think she is much further than my other child was at this time of year in the 1/2 day program. My child is doing better than my expectations. The curriculum is much more academic than when I was a child. That's a good thing, as I see my child keeping up and finding a true interest in learning. All the supports have her staying on task.

9. COMMENTS I never thought my child would be wanting and capable to do some reading. He's reading, and beginning to spell & truly enjoys going to school each day. He was a "shy" child & I feel full day has allowed him to feel more comfortable & form strong bonds with his peers. I definitely see a difference in the educational benefits of the Full Day Program. Having the "specials" also gives them a sense of a well-rounded experience, which they don't get in the 1/2 day program. Having come from a full day daycare setting, my child has learned more than I expected and being the youngest of three, I feel he is much more prepared for first grade that my other children were at this point in the year.

12. Comment on one area where you are most satisfied with the program The academic levels that they should be at during this stage of school. My daughter loves her teacher! My son had trouble in the beginning with ABC's and 123's and fine motor skills. We worried he would be behind other children his age. He was sent home week 1 with the no child left behind forms and given immediate one on one help. My son is so happy and so excited to learn. Everyone has been wonderful helping him with the extra support. I cannot thank you enough. This program is fantastic. As a teacher and mother of three I am very grateful and pleased with this program. Socially it has been wonderful as well. Thank you for all your hard work day in and day out. It was important to keep our child in a full day school environment as he has been used to this from being in daycare. We like that there is homework. I am most satisfied by my daughter's improvement in her reading comprehension. The journals that they are producing show their progress and their learning journeys. My son is reading!! I'm so proud & feel it's due to the extra time the children have to work on these skills! I am so happy with the kindergarten curriculum. It has far exceeded my expectations. My child is already doing things that I wouldn't have expected until the end of the school year or 1st grade. We are thrilled that all school personnel take a personal interest in our son's well being.

13. Comment on one area of the full day kindergarten program where you would like to see some improvement Communicating with pick up, drop off, was a bit confusing from the start. I am craving more details about academic goals and social goals. For example, I would appreciate having a list of benchmarks that kindergarteners are supposed to hit by the end of each term, so I could focus home activities more to help my child reach or surpass them. There was some confusion about start day for the full day K. I called and was told the full day K followed the same schedule as the 1/2 day, which started a couple of days later. Turns out that they started when the other grades did. But for some 1/2 days they follow the other grades and for some, the 1/2 day K. Communication Hoping to have full day options for my daughter in 2 years. Perhaps a "rest period" or something in the schedule to give them time to wind down. I do find that my child is exhausted by dinner time and we struggle to keep him awake! However, we faced this is the past when our children went to first grade, so it may be that it is part of the transition either way.

14. Teacher Comments • Students are all reading at a B level or higher (expectation is an A mid year) • All students are writing sentences. • Currently have identified 34 sight words (HES). • All students are seen in small groups daily for instruction. • Science and Social Studies are addressed weekly. • Math centers are incorporated into daily instruction. • Going more in depth into the curriculum. • Area of Improvement would be to re-examine the specialist schedule. Students can handle more than 30 minutes.

15. Current Enrollment • Total – 41 students • Hedge School – 19 students • 6 from IBES • 6 from WES • 0 from FFES • 6 from HES • 1 from NMES • Cold Spring – 22 students • 11 from CSES • 7 from NMES • 3 from MES • 1 from WES

16. Income / Expenses To date : $3,400 has been spent in supplies

17. Full Pay / Scholarship / Voucher

18. 2012 – 2013 School Year • Continue the programs at Hedge and Cold Spring • Expand offerings dependent on interest of parents • Advertise FDK during the month of January • Accept FDK Applications during the month of February • Conduct the Lottery on Thursday, March 1 at 10 am • Parents electing to participate can register for Kindergarten at the Full Day Kindergarten site for which they were chosen • Kindergarten screening will occur at the school at which a child will attend Full Day Kindergarten • Full Day Kindergarten will follow the same calendar as half day kindergarten. (ie. Later start date than grades 1 – 12)

19. Changes to payment structure • Deposit of $250 with the application • Deposit is refunded if the child is not chosen in the lottery • 5 equal payments (July, September, November, February, April) • Option to pay in full still remains • Vouchers continue to be accepted

20. Expansion • Prioritize Schools • Carver - School Choice