Two New Programs Announced

[bob]

Indian Prairie officials announced two new programs to help elementary students, including piloting an extended-day kindergarten program for struggling learners.

New Superintendent Stephen Daeschner is passionate about extended-day kindergarten. "Research shows that if you provide extra assistance to struggling kindergartners by November, you can greatly increase their academic achievement and reduce gaps in their learning," Daeschner said.

The schools that will pilot extended-day kindergarten for struggling learners are Georgetown, Gombert, Longwood and McCarty Elementary Schools. Students will participate in the pilot based on assessment of student needs. The district hopes the success of this year's pilot will lead to more extended-day kindergarten classes in the future.

In addition to the extended-day kindergarten pilot, an expanded intervention program will help more than 1,600 struggling elementary students who are not performing at grade level. By providing additional assistance early on to struggling kids, the teachers can help increase student achievement and reduce gaps. "Without a solid intervention program we are minimizing the opportunities for our kids to succeed," said Daeschner. "The district's mission is to prepare all students to succeed, and we need to provide extra assistance to our kids who are struggling."

The new programs are set to begin when school starts August 27.

[wvhsparent]

All-day kindergarten offered to struggling Dist. 204 students
By Melissa Jenco
[e-mail]
Posted Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Young students who are struggling academically in Indian Prairie Unit District 204 will have an extra chance to get help through a new all-day kindergarten program.

The school board unanimously approved the pilot program Monday in four schools: Georgetown, Gombert, Longwood and McCarty.

"What we hope to do is take the benefit of what we know is working in those four schools and accelerate that by allowing students to have a half-day of the intervention programming," said Martha Baumann, director of elementary education.

Kindergarten students will be assessed this fall and only those determined to need extra help will be invited into the program. The all-day instruction will begin in late September or early October.

Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said students from two-parent homes with sufficient income typically enter kindergarten with 10,000- to 15,000-word vocabularies. But low-income students enter with 1,000 words. He cited research that shows if schools don't assist these students by November of their kindergarten year, it becomes much more difficult to close that gap.

His former district, Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, had all-day kindergarten every day for all children and he said the program was extremely successful.

"All research says the earlier that we catch them the better their chance for success overall in education, and we are very excited about that," Deputy Superintendent Kathy Birkett said.

David Worst, principal of Gombert Elementary, said his school tried all-day kindergarten for struggling students two years ago when the class size was low enough to allow it.

"We were able to take 12 kids and keep them there all day working through the system and see their growth at the end of the year, and to see where they went from not only an academic but a social (standpoint)," he said. "The whole piece was phenomenal."

But the size of Gombert's kindergarten class increased last year and the school wasn't able to continue the program. Now, as one of the pilot schools, Worst said he is excited to once again provide the extra assistance.

The kindergarten pilot program will be evaluated next spring and the district will then determine how to proceed with it.

The district will also expand its intervention program this year, adding 15 interventionist positions at the elementary level to assist more than 1,600 students who are performing below grade level.

Each of the district's elementary schools will have either a full-time or part-time interventionist. Baumann said these staff members will work with both students and teachers to coordinate services.

Valerie Dranias, president of the teachers union, said while she applauds the concept of an interventionist, she is concerned about putting the intervention program together just two weeks before school begins.

But Birkett said the district wanted to provide extra assistance to struggling students before they get even further behind and administrators will work with the union to coordinate the details of the program.

Board members said the two programs are long-awaited.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to give these kids the attention they deserve at a young age so they can be successful later as they move up to the other levels," board member Christine Vickers said.

[proschool]

Bravo.

On a side note, kindergarten in 204 has not really ever been academically focused. That worked out okay for some kids but for others it was a lost opportunity. Indian Prairie Preschool is not academically focused either.

I bet the new super is going to be looking into making some changes there.

[momto4]

proschool said:

Bravo.

On a side note, kindergarten in 204 has not really ever been academically focused. That worked out okay for some kids but for others it was a lost opportunity. Indian Prairie Preschool is not academically focused either.

I bet the new super is going to be looking into making some changes there.

Funny you should say this. Kindergarten in 204 has actually been way more academically focused than I would prefer for kids this age. I think there is too much push too early for many children. I was not too happy that we had to deal with kindergarten homework last year.

[title1parent]

wvhsparent said:

All-day kindergarten offered to struggling Dist. 204 students

David Worst, principal of Gombert Elementary, said his school tried all-day kindergarten for struggling students two years ago when the class size was low enough to allow it.

"We were able to take 12 kids and keep them there all day working through the system and see their growth at the end of the year, and to see where they went from not only an academic but a social (standpoint)," he said. "The whole piece was phenomenal."

But the size of Gombert's kindergarten class increased last year and the school wasn't able to continue the program. Now, as one of the pilot schools, Worst said he is excited to once again provide the extra assistance.

This program worked very well for the 12 children that were in it. Many have gained the social skills they needed to interact with other students, and their language skills have improved dramatically.

[harry]

title1parent said:

wvhsparent said:

All-day kindergarten offered to struggling Dist. 204 students

David Worst, principal of Gombert Elementary, said his school tried all-day kindergarten for struggling students two years ago when the class size was low enough to allow it.

"We were able to take 12 kids and keep them there all day working through the system and see their growth at the end of the year, and to see where they went from not only an academic but a social (standpoint)," he said. "The whole piece was phenomenal."

But the size of Gombert's kindergarten class increased last year and the school wasn't able to continue the program. Now, as one of the pilot schools, Worst said he is excited to once again provide the extra assistance.

This program worked very well for the 12 children that were in it. Many have gained the social skills they needed to interact with other students, and their language skills have improved dramatically.

To add.....now that the US is 'teaching to the test' (with NCLB)

and

Since many of our preschool programs go as long as or longer than Kindergarten.,,,,I think that this is a great option for those who need, not want the daycare, but need the option.

[204parent]

This is just the first step toward full-day kindergarten for all.

[EagleDad]

harry said:

Since many of our preschool programs go as long as or longer than Kindergarten.,,,,I think that this is a great option for those who need, not want the daycare, but need the option.

I'm just wondering how one defines someone as needing, not wanting, daycare?

In my book our schools are education institutions, not babysitters. This should be based on educational need of the child, not as a daycare replacement.

Also, I'm curious how they determine a particular student is "struggling" before Kindergarten. There must be a great deal of testing that I was unaware of. Maybe assuptions were made which would be unfortunate.

In the end I love this program, but I'd encourage it's availability for all students.

[bob]

Needing daycare would be defined by me as a having both parents needing to work and they need whole day daycare for the kids. Most people need two incomes to survive.

[EagleDad]

Here's where I think viewing it as day care gets a lot more tricky. Would me wife and I like to have all-day K for out kids, while she gets to bring in a second income? Absolutely. Does a dual wage families with granparents and friends in the area need daycare? There would be far too much gaming of the system if criteria like these were used. It should focus on the needs of the kids and prepare all students to reach their greatest potential.

[gatormom]

harry said:

Since many of our preschool programs go as long as or longer than Kindergarten.,,,,I think that this is a great option for those who need, not want the daycare, but need the option.

I just re-read harry's post. I think, correct me if I am wrong, that what harry is trying to say is that this is a great option for those who need the extra school support and not those who are looking for daycare.

Since all kindergartners in the pilot schools will be tested early in the school year, those with educational/social skill needs can be identified and those needs addressed with full-day kindergarten.

One thing that was repeated in many of the discussions on this board regarding T1 schools and students who fail to make the grade in schools was, catch the children young and don't wait until they reach MS or HS. This program really has the potential of allowing all children to begin 1st grade ready and able to succeed.

[wvhsparent]

Let's give it a chance.....

[Arch]

I'd rather the kids get the extra help and attention they need than worry about a few parents that might try to take advantage of it as cheap daycare. I believe, overall, this will be a good thing; not expecting perfection... but the earlier the opportunities for kids to get any help they need is a good thing.

[harry]

gatormom said:

harry said:

Since many of our preschool programs go as long as or longer than Kindergarten.,,,,I think that this is a great option for those who need, not want the daycare, but need the option.

I just re-read harry's post. I think, correct me if I am wrong, that what harry is trying to say is that this is a great option for those who need the extra school support and not those who are looking for daycare.

Since all kindergartners in the pilot schools will be tested early in the school year, those with educational/social skill needs can be identified and those needs addressed with full-day kindergarten.

One thing that was repeated in many of the discussions on this board regarding T1 schools and students who fail to make the grade in schools was, catch the children young and don't wait until they reach MS or HS. This program really has the potential of allowing all children to begin 1st grade ready and able to succeed.

Gatormom, you are correct.

All day K should be reserved for those who need it as I posted. I mentioned daycare because my prediction is that there will be parents who will say "Why can't my kids go all day long too??"

[bob]

harry said:

gatormom said:

I just re-read harry's post. I think, correct me if I am wrong, that what harry is trying to say is that this is a great option for those who need the extra school support and not those who are looking for daycare.

Since all kindergartners in the pilot schools will be tested early in the school year, those with educational/social skill needs can be identified and those needs addressed with full-day kindergarten.

One thing that was repeated in many of the discussions on this board regarding T1 schools and students who fail to make the grade in schools was, catch the children young and don't wait until they reach MS or HS. This program really has the potential of allowing all children to begin 1st grade ready and able to succeed.

Gatormom, you are correct.

All day K should be reserved for those who need it as I posted. I mentioned daycare because my prediction is that there will be parents who will say "Why can't my kids go all day long too??"

Good point, Harry.