As the Seymour Board of Education grapples with whether to have full-day kindergarten in town, members hope to get valuable input from parents at a budget forum on Nov. 10.
Some board members and Superintendent MaryAnne Mascolo believe the full-day kindergarten program is a way to help students start their educational careers right.
But other board members are reluctant to propose a new program in a tough budget climate.
“Full-day kindergarten is the right thing to do across the district, but if the board is punished politically because of it, nobody wins,” Mascolo said to board members at a meeting Wednesday.
Full-day kindergarten helps improve test scores in the primary grades, and boost chances for at-risk students to succeed, Mascolo told the board.
But it could require adding more teaching positions — an expense at a time when many school boards are struggling to cut costs, and when some voters are dissatisfied with government spending.
Last year, Seymour voters turned down three school spending plans, before finally approving a budget that saw no increase from the previous year.
For the first couple of years, Seymour would have help paying for the full-day kindergarten, thanks to a federal Education Jobs Fund grant for $575,147 for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
However, some board members pointed out the district would have to absorb the entire cost after the grants run out.
“There are a lot of people who will argue against it because of finances,” said Fred Stanek, a member of the board.
“Screw politics,” said Board member Bruce Baker. “Our job is to protect these kids, and that’s what this (program) does.”
The concept start the full-day kindergarten at LoPresti School in 2011 – 2012, and then at Chatfield School 2012 – 2013.
The board has not taken a vote on whether to support full-day kindergarten, and expects to discuss the idea more at upcoming board meetings.
The parent forum was organized to receive input from parents about the budget. It will be held at 7 p.m. at the Middle School on Nov. 10.
