
WEST HAVEN, July 21, 2015 — All-day
kindergarten classes will be in place at all six West Haven Public
School District elementary schools this fall, thanks to an additional
$500,000 in state funding, Mayor Edward M. O’Brien and Superintendent of
Schools Neil C. Cavallaro announced today.
The $500,000 was included in the new fiscal year’s allocation of the
Alliance District grant, which West Haven has been receiving for the
past three years and targets school improvement. It complements a $1
million grant the city obtained from the state Bond Commission in
November to make one-time expenditures of supplies and classroom
renovations for a full-day kindergarten expansion.
During its regular meeting Monday night, the Board of Education
unanimously approved this year’s Alliance District grant plan, which
includes districtwide all-day kindergarten.
School district administrators and O’Brien have been working together to
implement full-day kindergarten in all city elementary schools, as it
has been a longtime goal of the district and a high-priority focus of
O’Brien since he took office.
Both grants were initiated by O’Brien in a collaborative effort with the
school board and were made possible by the state Department of
Education and state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, chairwoman of the
General Assembly’s Education Committee.
“Implementing districtwide all-day kindergarten was the cornerstone of
my campaign for mayor in 2013 and has been one of my top priorities
since taking office,” O’Brien said.
“I am elated that in just under two years, my administration, together
with our state legislators and the Board of Education, has successfully
worked to institute and sustain full-day kindergarten in West Haven. I
am grateful to Senator Slossberg and the rest of our General Assembly
delegation for realizing this vital funding for the many hardworking
families of our great city.”
Financial constraints have prevented the program from launching in all
six elementary schools at once, and the district has been targeting a
multiyear rollout to gradually add the expense into the budget. As part
of that plan, all-day kindergarten classes started this year at Forest
Elementary School and Savin Rock Community School. The program was
phased in responsibly, in a way that balanced the various needs of the
city, Cavallaro said.
With the $500,000 in new funding and the $1 million grant received by
the city last fall, the program will now expand to schools that still
have half-day kindergarten classes: Washington Elementary School, Edith
E. Mackrille Elementary School, Alma E. Pagels Elementary School and
Seth G. Haley Elementary School.
Cavallaro said he was grateful that the state has provided the
additional money and that West Haven can now be on a more level playing
field with districts that already have full-day kindergarten classes.
Most districts in the state follow such a schedule.
“We’re thrilled to have received the funding, as well as support from
our Board of Education, and to soon offer all West Haven children the
opportunity to attend full-day kindergarten in our district. Since not
all of our students attend preschool, an all-day kindergarten program is
needed to give them a more solid foundation in literacy and numeracy
through additional classroom time and to help them further develop
social and emotional skills through extra time with their peers,”
Cavallaro said.
“We’re very pleased with what we’ve seen in our two schools that started
full-day kindergarten this year and are confident that expanding the
program will make a significant impact on all of our schools.”
Stefania Izzo, the school district’s early childhood coordinator,
presented the Board of Education with an update of this year’s all-day
kindergarten programs at Savin Rock and Forest, saying students in the
full-day programs saw more significant gains in their skill levels than
peers at three other district elementary schools.
The extra instructional time benefits students because they have more
opportunities to connect with the curriculum, and it gives support staff
more time to address any learning difficulties students may have. The
additional early intervention efforts may result in those students
needing fewer services later in their academic careers.
Upon completion of kindergarten, youngsters are expected to be able to
count to 100, read a short book with two to three sentences per page,
answer comprehension questions, and successfully complete other tasks
that were not part of kindergarten curriculums years ago.
School officials have been preparing with regard to staffing, supplies
and equipment to ensure the program is ready for the newest group of
kindergartners as soon as the 2015-16 academic year begins.
All-day kindergarten will commence Aug. 27, which is the first day of classes for the district and a full day of school.
Contact: Communications Director Susan Misur, 203-937-4300 X7114; susan.misur@whschools.org