SOUTH RANGE SCHOOLS Parents meeting planned to discuss kindergarten option

The new optional program was developed in response to parental concerns.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NORTH LIMA -- Elementary School Principal Steve Krivan said he soon will be contacting parents of incoming kindergartners to invite them to a meeting about the new optional kindergarten program in the South Range school district.
The program, which will be offered for the first time this fall, is an extension of the school district's current kindergarten program, Krivan said. He said the meeting likely will be held early this month at the elementary school in Beaver Township.
"I know some of the parents have questions and concerns and we want to do what we can to answer those questions and talk to them about their concerns," Krivan said.
The school district first made parents aware of the program earlier this month during a kindergarten screening. He said about 60 percent of those parents have indicated they plan to enroll their children in the optional program.
The kindergarten schedule will remain unchanged. Pupils will attend kindergarten either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday and every other Friday.
New option
Under the new plan, they days pupils don't have class they can still be bused to school, but from there will be bused to either Boardman Christian Preschool or North Lima Preschool, where they will attend classes featuring curriculum that meets school district standards for kindergarten pupils. The preschool costs will be $100 a month per pupil, paid to the preschools. Instructors certified to teach kindergarten will conduct the classes, Krivan said.
The program was developed in response to some parental complaints that the alternating-days schedule made it difficult to line up baby-sitting services.
Superintendent Jim Hall noted that it has been at least 20 years since the school district has offered daily half-day kindergarten sessions to pupils, five days a week.
He said administrators have determined all-day sessions give pupils and teachers more quality time together and cut back on busing time and costs because there is no need to bus pupils to and from the school after morning and before afternoon sessions. "We just feel all-day sessions are more beneficial to students and parents," he said.
Areas of concern
Krivan said there are several issues that need to be worked out with the new plan. For example, some parents have said they don't think they can afford the monthly fee.
He said other parents, especially stay-at-home moms, have said they would rather keep their children at home on their days off, but are worried that academically, those children would fall behind pupils in the program. A few parents have also said they're concerned about the amount of time pupils would spend on the bus, having to travel first to the elementary school and then to the preschool.
"These are concerns parents have, and we're going to address these issues and try to see what we can work out," he said.