The Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) School Board is considering the implementation of a full day kindergarten program to be launched as early as the 2009- 2010 academic year. The ORCSD conducted a Full Day Kindergarten Study that failed to address full day kindergarten program\'s cost and implementation plans. Most importantly, the Study did not cite the fact that any benefits attributed to a full day kindergarten program are short-lived, not going beyond the third or fourth grade. Additionally, the ORCSD has major curriculum deficits (e.g. sufficient AP courses and expanded foreign language instruction) at both the ORCSD Middle School and ORCSD High School. The ORCSD School Board must weigh carefully the academic priorities of the District prior to implementing a new program such as full day kindergarten. With limited ORCSD funds, it is vital that the ORCSD spend in the areas deemed the highest priority. Full day kindergarten is not a high priority when there are many other academic deficiencies for the ORCSD School Board to address. Under the present circumstances, we, the undersigned, oppose the funding and implementation of a full day kindergarten program in light of the need to address other ORCSD academic priorities.

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