Post by novillero on May 21, 2008 10:37:12 GMT -5
Full-day preschool planned
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - School administrators in Freehold Borough are hoping to provide 3- and 4-year-old preschool pupils with a full-day program beginning in September.
The switch from the present halfday preschool program to a full-day program is contingent upon the receipt of certain funding from the state.
At present, the Freehold Borough K- 8 School District offers three half-day general education programs and one half-day bilingual program in space that is being rented at the First Presbyterian Church; one full-day self-contained preschool disabled class at the Freehold Learning Center elementary school; and two half-day pre-school disabled classes at the Freehold Learning Center.
If a new state program for preschoolers is implemented, the district will offer four full-day programs for preschoolers. Two classes will be held at the Freehold Learning Center and two will be held at an off-site location.
The self-contained disabled preschool full-day program will remain as it is.A
dministrators announced at the May 12 Board of Education meeting that the district's possible expansion of its half-day preschool program to a fullday program is a result of the state's desire to "include high quality preschool education for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the district."
Director of Curriculum Ronnie Dougherty and Freehold Learning Center Principal Donna Johnson told the board that the program is based on the recently implemented New Jersey school funding formula. They said the district is a good candidate because it carries a District Factor Group (DFG) ranking of B.
The state Department of Education uses the DFG as a measure of a district's socioeconomic status. A school district with a DFG ranking of B is at the low end of the scale.
"The state will give us six years to implement this program for all eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in the district," Johnson said. "This year (2007-08) is our planning year. Next year (2008-09), if everything goes as we hope and if we receive the funding, will be our first year of implementation."
She noted that because Freehold Borough already has a preschool program in place, the district has a head start because in six years all districts will be required to provide this program for preschoolers.
She said state education officials will work with Freehold Borough administrators to help them implement the preschool program.
She explained that accommodating the students in the program would be done with a "mixed delivery system." Johnson said administrators can use district schools, off-site providers or a Head Start program to provide the preschool program.
"When we use this mixed delivery system, whether it's Head Start or something else, our district's curriculum standards will be used and we will still oversee the program and be administrators at that location for our students," Johnson said.
She told the board that she met with representatives from the National Institute of Early Education Research who were impressed with the preschool program Freehold Borough already has in place. She reported that officials said the district has the ability to make the transition from a half-day preschool program to full-time preschool instruction "grow smoothly."
Dougherty said she, Johnson, and Pat Rizzo, the director of special programs, have attended state workshops about implementing the program.
"We are the perfect candidate," Dougherty said.
With regard to funding the preschool program, Dougherty said the school district has the opportunity to apply for state funding. She and Johnson are in the process of working on applications for state funding. The funding will pay for an additional staff member and for the curriculum.
Dougherty said the school district will be able to accommodate 60 students in the full-time preschool program. She told the board the district will have the space to implement the program using the mixed delivery system.
She said administrators and teachers will implement a research-based curriculum called "Tools of the Mind," which Dougherty said "supports a rich language development for children." She said the Red Bank and Neptune school districts have both had success with that particular curriculum.
"We are now in the process of proving to the state that we have the criteria for this funding," Johnson said.
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0521/front_page/025.html
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - School administrators in Freehold Borough are hoping to provide 3- and 4-year-old preschool pupils with a full-day program beginning in September.
The switch from the present halfday preschool program to a full-day program is contingent upon the receipt of certain funding from the state.
At present, the Freehold Borough K- 8 School District offers three half-day general education programs and one half-day bilingual program in space that is being rented at the First Presbyterian Church; one full-day self-contained preschool disabled class at the Freehold Learning Center elementary school; and two half-day pre-school disabled classes at the Freehold Learning Center.
If a new state program for preschoolers is implemented, the district will offer four full-day programs for preschoolers. Two classes will be held at the Freehold Learning Center and two will be held at an off-site location.
The self-contained disabled preschool full-day program will remain as it is.A
dministrators announced at the May 12 Board of Education meeting that the district's possible expansion of its half-day preschool program to a fullday program is a result of the state's desire to "include high quality preschool education for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the district."
Director of Curriculum Ronnie Dougherty and Freehold Learning Center Principal Donna Johnson told the board that the program is based on the recently implemented New Jersey school funding formula. They said the district is a good candidate because it carries a District Factor Group (DFG) ranking of B.
The state Department of Education uses the DFG as a measure of a district's socioeconomic status. A school district with a DFG ranking of B is at the low end of the scale.
"The state will give us six years to implement this program for all eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in the district," Johnson said. "This year (2007-08) is our planning year. Next year (2008-09), if everything goes as we hope and if we receive the funding, will be our first year of implementation."
She noted that because Freehold Borough already has a preschool program in place, the district has a head start because in six years all districts will be required to provide this program for preschoolers.
She said state education officials will work with Freehold Borough administrators to help them implement the preschool program.
She explained that accommodating the students in the program would be done with a "mixed delivery system." Johnson said administrators can use district schools, off-site providers or a Head Start program to provide the preschool program.
"When we use this mixed delivery system, whether it's Head Start or something else, our district's curriculum standards will be used and we will still oversee the program and be administrators at that location for our students," Johnson said.
She told the board that she met with representatives from the National Institute of Early Education Research who were impressed with the preschool program Freehold Borough already has in place. She reported that officials said the district has the ability to make the transition from a half-day preschool program to full-time preschool instruction "grow smoothly."
Dougherty said she, Johnson, and Pat Rizzo, the director of special programs, have attended state workshops about implementing the program.
"We are the perfect candidate," Dougherty said.
With regard to funding the preschool program, Dougherty said the school district has the opportunity to apply for state funding. She and Johnson are in the process of working on applications for state funding. The funding will pay for an additional staff member and for the curriculum.
Dougherty said the school district will be able to accommodate 60 students in the full-time preschool program. She told the board the district will have the space to implement the program using the mixed delivery system.
She said administrators and teachers will implement a research-based curriculum called "Tools of the Mind," which Dougherty said "supports a rich language development for children." She said the Red Bank and Neptune school districts have both had success with that particular curriculum.
"We are now in the process of proving to the state that we have the criteria for this funding," Johnson said.
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0521/front_page/025.html
