Kinder Platform Bubbling in Bloomfield?

All-day kindergarten absolutely was NOT in the 2007-2008 school board budget. I attended the budget meeting. Maybe there's a tentative budget for what it would cost to institute it for 2008-09, but that will have to be presented to the public as part of the April election cycle.

Well, if nothing can happen until the April election, I don't understand how anyone can think there might be full day kindergarten in 2008. Many parents have to decide on options for their K-age children in January or Febuary.

(snip) "I have also heard that the pre-k,...is open by lottery and for those with special needs,...(I would like to think that any child with special needs is well served by our state education system no matter what.)(snip)

My son attended Pre-K four years ago at Franklin School with a wonderful, dedicated teacher. He was pre-tested in various areas and "qualified" because he lacked some fine motor skills...not something that would ordinarily be considerd "special needs". The reason for testing is because placement is limited, and there's a need to determine which children would benefit most.

When he entered Kindergarten, I was grateful he'd had such a positive Pre-K experience because I knew it helped to prepare him in many more ways than one.

The "K" curriculum has changed immensely since my older children were there, nevermind since I'VE been there, and A LOT is expected of them.

My oldest is now 19 and I remember going to BOE meetings when I was pregnant with him inquiring about full day kindergarten and was told waaaay back then that is was being considered - LOL!

Good to meet with you and you are 100% right about the all day kindergarten. This will bring even more people with children who want a good home and school district to Bloomfield.

Yes, but will the taxes paid by these "even more people with children" be sufficient to offset the costs of educating those children, including a full-day kindergarten?

If they can find some way to pull it off without a budget increase, fine; otherwise, I'm not inclined to support it. Full-day kindergarten may be luxury many of us cannot afford to subsidize.

Honestly, I think a full day is too long for 5 & 6 yr olds. Especially if they have no prior Pre-K experience!

Pork Roll, I'm inclined to agree with you. I'm tapped out. I can't afford more school taxes for all-day kindergarten, for Foley Field, or for school uniforms. And, why is McCarthy so interested in kindergarten? There are more than enough municipal problems he should be addressing. They've never paid much attention to the schools before!

All day K, sounds like tax supproted daycare to me.

are you anti-full day folks for real? since nj has an early oct. birthday cut-off we've already got alot of 6 yr. olds starting kindergarten. and since most of these 6 yr. olds will have already spend an additional year in pre-k (and most likely in a a full-day program), isn't a half day kindergarten program a step backwards?

if bloomfield doesn't decide to finally make the change in 08, then this family has already decided to move to a school district that has a clue. and i have to say that from speaking to other parents about this issue, we're not the only ones. why should we pay so much more in taxes yet get so much less?

Perhaps McCarthy thinks that all these young families with kids are the ones who will snap up all the condos envisioned as part of the "new" redevelopment plan.

My four-year-old is among those who will have to take a step backwards from all-day-pre-K to half-day kindergarten next year if we choose to put her in public schools, and we have been wracking our brains trying to figure out what to do with the other half of the day. (My husband and I both work full-time.) I think Cedar Grove has a half-day program for kindergartners run by the Montclair YMCA; it's my understanding that the kids are all bussed to one school that has room for a half-day program, and parents pay like they do for after-school care. It seems like Bloomfield could solve the problem at little or no taxpayer expense with some smart planning like that. Oh wait, did I just write "Bloomfield" and "smart planning" in the same sentence?

I thought that full day kindergarten was going to be mandatory in NJ by 2009. Am I mistaken?

There is no mandate to make full day kindergarten mandatory in NJ. This is a local district decision.

So Shy, this really is a daycare issue at tax payer expense.
Tell ya what, I'll support it and you send a kid over to my house to rake the leaves.

It would actually be interesting to hear how many parents would prefer full time- say 9-3 K. Most people I talk to would, for a great variety of reasons. A stay at home mom- who was a teacher- told me a whole list of reasons. The fact is, many 4 year olds are already going to preschool, say, 9-3 area. There is a influx of students at Brookdale, at the 1rst grade level, it doubles. Which means most people aren't able to use the half day kindergarten program. brookdale, The people I talked to at Brookdale say that if it is decided, they will find the space. They will get another teacher and the majority of people want it. Most New Jersey towns, if they don't already have it, are moving to full time K. Anyways- I just want a fast death not a slow death for this round of parents...

doingtimeintheburbs-i think your concept of kindergarten is a bit old school. most children entering kindergarten these days are either already reading or just about ready to start. kindergarten is no longer the couple of hours of socializing and free play it used to be.

"Perhaps McCarthy thinks that all these young families with kids are the ones who will snap up all the condos envisioned as part of the "new" redevelopment plan."

Hmm. When the City Planner hired by the developer of the 1242 Broad Street Apartment complex was asked about how many children he thought these 25 two-bedroom units would attract, he seemed to think "none" was the right answer, and it appears the Zoning Board of Adjustment (then headed by mayoral candidate John Lazar) agreed with him. So, don't worry, there will be no new children emigrating to Bloomfield, so we don't have to worry about such mundane topics as full-day kindergarten or increases to school budgets. Let's spend all the money on new Belgian-block curbing and tattoos of crosswalks...

I understand that and support full day education. It just seems that here and other palces where the issue comes up it is generally framed as a two working parents, "what do we do with the kid" issue.
As a member of this society, childless or not, I favor giving our children all of the best education/ oppertunity we can. I would just hope that we all(parents and nonparents) are talking and thinking about it in those terms.

go Conan! Brookdale is already crowded. This should be interesting. I'm betting the multigraded class gets moved.

full time K for all at the sacrifice of pre-K for the most needy? I thinks that's a poor trade off.

As a member of this society, childless or not, I favor giving our children all of the best education/ oppertunity we can.

I agree, but the operative word here is can. As property tax payers, many if not most of us have reached the limit of what we can afford to pay to support public education in this state.

Doingtime--that's hardly what I was suggesting. This isn't just about daycare. The fact is that right now Bloomfield's public school system does not meet the needs of the many kindergartners who are used to being with their peers all day. But Bloomfield's public school system also does not have any extra money (nor does anyone want taxes to get higher). So why not find a way to privatize (I know, I hate that word) some portion of it for those who want/need it and are willing to pay for it?

We moved here a year ago, and honestly, I was suprised Bloomfield K was only half day. Both Montclair and Glen Ridge have full day. Glen Ridge has pre k as well- which the residents pay 1,000.00 a year for, if they want it.
I am not against finding a way to privatize some portion of full day.

We moved here a year ago, and honestly, I was suprised Bloomfield K was only half day. Both Montclair and Glen Ridge have full day. Glen Ridge has pre k as well- which the residents pay 1,000.00 a year for, if they want it.
I am not against finding a way to privatize some portion of full day.

What happened last night? Did they map out a strategy for all day kindergarten?

People, it's time to think outside the box!
Make the full-day program pay for itself by implementing the following schedule:
9:00 am - fine motor skills (blocks, etc.)
10:00 am - show and tell/creative time
11:00 am introduction to letters, phonics and numbers
12:00 pm lunch & recess
12:45 pm to closing - fine motor skills, part II (make clothing for GAP stores).

appletony, how about community based service such as raking leaves, or recyclables management? Get those lazy little units working, could be like a new version of the Presidents physical fitness program.
On the other hand, a prorated tax based on use..ie, no kids, pay less tax etc.

does anyone know what the outcome of tuesday board of ed meeting was?