Kindergarten is not child’s play anymore. As several parents pointed out at the March 14 School Committee meeting, it is no longer enough for 5- and 6-year-olds to learn colors, numbers, and letters. The kindergarten curriculum now includes more advanced skills that segue directly into first grade. And many Harvard parents are choosing a full-day kindergarten program for their children.
By the end of February, 56 students were registered for next year’s kindergarten program, according to Superintendent Thomas Jefferson. Parents of 49 of those students had asked for a full-day program; only seven requested a half-day program.
Faced with this lopsided preference for the full-day program, the School Committee voted unanimously to revise its plans for next year and offer three full-day sections of kindergarten, instead of two. With three sections, every family that has already requested a full-day slot can be accommodated.
If enrollments remain unchanged, the single half-day section will have only seven students. But in past years kindergarten registrations have often increased substantially between March and September. Last year, six new kindergarteners were signed up in that period.
Committee member Virginia Justicz recalled that one of her children had attended the half-day program, while the other had gone for a full day. She noted that it was important to offer both programs, so that parents could choose the one that best suited their child.
Jefferson pointed out that offering three full-day sections also generates some revenue, compared to the original plan of two full-day and two half-day sections. The town covers the cost of the half-day program, but parents who opt for the full day pay $3,750 in tuition. In addition, the town receives approximately $27,000 in grant money from the state for the full-day program.
