All Day Kindergarten - Page 3

[punkrawkmama27]

Originally Posted by LauraLoo

Another reason is to cut down on bus transportation costs. It's more cost efffective for the school system to only run buses in the morning and afternoon, which elminates the extra cost of running at noon time for the 1/2 day K.

That makes sense! That was one of the reasons they told me to put dd in all day kindergarten. The school she goes to is what they refer to as a "busing school". Almost every kid gets bussed to school. I had no idea that kids as young as 5 took a bus to school. I thought it was too young to be on the bus, so I drive her anyway, but it does make sense to not have drive back and forth 4 times, instead only twice.

[jeca]

Here all day Kinder is new. They started a "pilot" program two years ago to see how well it would do but there really was no funding for it so you have to pay if you want your child to go. So last year we did. We paid a fee based on income for her to go all day and if you went half a day it was free. There is only one all day Kinder class at the school. I think we made the right choice for her. She has done so well in school so far socially and academically that I can't complain. Last year she had a bit of a problem with being a bully(the youngest and smallest kid in the class go figure) but she has matured so she seems a different child, at school at least. I don't think the fees were to bad compared to our living area. $75, $125, or $200 a month depending on your income. I was really impressed with her reading skills by the end of the year.

[monkeysmommy]

There is no option for half day kinder here, nor any option for less than 5 days, not in public school, at least. My dd goes from 8:40 to 2:40. They have 2 recess periods per day, quiet time after lunch, p.e. 2 times a week, dance one day a week, and lots of activities during the day. My dd is loving kindergarten, she is so excited by learning to write, all she wants to do is practice her writing.

I do agree it's too long for some kids, though. Last year I taught a dance class to kindergarteners the last period of the day, and there was always at least one crying for mom by the end.

[Kirsten]

Only read the first page...

Here, there are two half day morning classes, one half day afternoon class, and one full day kindergarten class. So most kids go half day in my town, and those who go full day have to pay (public school) for the half of the day that the tax dollars don't pay for. I think it is $250 per month for that other half day above what taxes pay for.

My dd1 and dd2 went to full day kindergarten - even though I am against it in theory. I think it is too long of a day for just turned five year olds (my girls are all summer birthdays). But they attended an alternative public elementary - and they didn't offer half days. If you wanted to get in (small school of 90 kids total), kindergarten was really your only good shot.

Dd1 had a TERRIBLE time adjusting; the first four months were awful. Dd2 walked in like she owned the place from the first day - and one staff member told me she'd never seen a kid more ready in ten years of working there. So I think that it depends on the child.

[USAmma]

Our state just started full day for all kids. I am not sure if it's optional this year. Last year it was and I had dd in full day just because I didn't want to drive there and turn around and pick her up again. She did really great. Never looked back.

[oldgirl,newtricks]

Our district does full day. It was explained as a way for kids to get more educational time for kids with more drop-out risk (read--lower income.) So, guess which schools got it first? Right. Higher income with more moms working. I felt like it was initially public paid babysitting. I still had to pay for daycare while other moms didn't.

It was long for my kids initially. So, I went and got them around 1:00 for the first few weeks. Then they adjusted and it went fine.