Asking a general and innocent question with regards to space... Is it a state mandate to offer preschool in schools? Given preschool is also paid for at the public elementary as well as private/off site preschools, why can't preschool be eliminated making two more classrooms for the kindergarten students in order to provide full day opportunities for those who want it??
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Peter Hajjar
9 years ago
As essentially a lifelong resident of Norwell, I am of the opinion that our schools are one of the true bedrocks of our community. So many wonderful families chose to live in Norwell because of the faith that they have in our school system to provide their children with a top tier education, in a caring environment. To me, not offering full day Kindergarten is a bit of a black mark on our school system, given that most of our surrounding towns have made the commitment to a full day program. This seems especially short-sighted given that the majority of the Norwell school system is so well resourced (led by our exceptional teachers and coaches). It’s almost like choosing to run a marathon but stopping a quarter of a mile before the finish line.
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Greg
9 years ago
Full day kindergarten being offered to all children would be a great benefit to the town of Norwell.
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Emilee Leahy
9 years ago
I adamantly believe that full day kindergarten should be available for all students in Norwell and that this issue is one of the more important at the elementary level.
My son was lucky enough to be chosen in the lottery for full day, and it was with great relief that we watched him thrive with the luxury of having time, repetition, and needed breaks throughout the day. I do not believe this would be the case had he been placed in the rapid paced and time crunched half day program.
An added concern for our child (and many others) is the fact that educational services pull children in half hour increments from the classroom. So theoretically, should he have been placed in half day kindergarten, on any day he had a speech session he would have been present in the actual classroom for less time than he had in a preschool day. I do not need to cite the abundant research and evidence as to why this is not ideal- and in fact a disservice to our 5 and 6 year olds.
My daughter will be going to kindergarten next year, and we already await the lottery with much anxiety that should the luck of the draw not go in her favor, the building block year of her elementary education will be sadly less effective and positive as her brother's. I respectfully request this inequity be addressed and movement towards a solution begin.
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Asha Bellur
9 years ago
A full day kindergarten for all children in Norwell should be available ..
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Ted Wilson
9 years ago
Featured
My oldest has just begun full day K and is enjoying it immensely. I want his brother to have the same opportunity through what I hope is a guarantee of full day K and not one through a lottery system. We were fortunate enough to get in through the lottery but would like not to repeat the process.
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Kristen Whitehouse
9 years ago
This is such an important issue. Several years ago, when we moved here, one of the main reasons to choose Norwell was the education system. I am disheartened to see all other surrounding towns around us offering full day kindergarten without a lottery system and without having to pay thousands out of pocket. It is a huge disservice to our children not to mandate all day kindergarten. Please Norwell, listen to the the parents(and the tax payers).
K
Kate Hobart
9 years ago
Full day is so important to our kids growth!!
J
Jennifer Burns
9 years ago
My son loved his teacher, and I felt we were so lucky to have her. She did wonders with her classroom and his first experience with the Norwell Schools was thankfully positive. However, I am baffled that this "pilot" program continues to exist. A paid lottery system? There are so many ethical issues with this approach, never mind the fact that at its very core you have designed a program where half of your kindergarten students have one experience, while the other half has a completely different experience. It doesn't make sense in a public school. I could list out all of my grievances, but suffice to say I hope all of the Norwell parents continue to push forward with this important issue.
M
Muriel Corbett
9 years ago
Full day Kindergarten should be available to all families who want it. Both my daughters were very lucky to receive full-day education in Kindergarten and I believe it would have been to their detriment if they had been in the 1/2 day program. My mother taught both 1/2 day and full-day Kindergarten and she wholeheartedly believed that her 1/2 day students were not given the same benefits as the full-day children. The schedule did not allow for it. Public education should be equal- it is not so in the differing programs. I believe this so strongly that if Full-day Kindergarten is not available for my next two children- I will be putting them in local private schools but would rather be supporting my local public schools.
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Becky Carbone
9 years ago
Featured
This is such an important need in our town and does the kids such an injustice not only in kindergarten but with their adjustment to 1st grade. For a town like Norwell that places such a huge emphasis on education and the state of our schools, it's a complete injustice that we cannot offer all of our children full day kindergarten.
J
Jill Donelan
9 years ago
I fully agree with Alicia's statements and support moving to full day kindergarten for all students in Norwell.
M
Mark Hand
9 years ago
There's no doubt full day kindergarten is on the horizon, and I'd be encouraged if Norwell would embrace this transition as opposed to fighting it. As a real estate agent, I know first hand that our quality schools are why young families consider Norwell over other towns, and why our property values remain so strong. Let's find a way to clean up any viable buildings so that we may adopt full day kindergarten. We owe this to our kids. - Mark Hand
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Mary Beth Holmes
9 years ago
It is shocking and disheartening that out town does not offer full day kindergarten. It is a disservice to our children. The lottery system creates a divide and inequity in children's education. This places them on different levels, not only from a knowledge standpoint but an adjustment perspective once the get to 1st grade. Look at the research it is clear half day kindergarten places our kids at a disadvantage.
Asking a general and innocent question with regards to space... Is it a state mandate to offer preschool in schools? Given preschool is also paid for at the public elementary as well as private/off site preschools, why can't preschool be eliminated making two more classrooms for the kindergarten students in order to provide full day opportunities for those who want it??
As essentially a lifelong resident of Norwell, I am of the opinion that our schools are one of the true bedrocks of our community. So many wonderful families chose to live in Norwell because of the faith that they have in our school system to provide their children with a top tier education, in a caring environment. To me, not offering full day Kindergarten is a bit of a black mark on our school system, given that most of our surrounding towns have made the commitment to a full day program. This seems especially short-sighted given that the majority of the Norwell school system is so well resourced (led by our exceptional teachers and coaches). It’s almost like choosing to run a marathon but stopping a quarter of a mile before the finish line.
Full day kindergarten being offered to all children would be a great benefit to the town of Norwell.
I adamantly believe that full day kindergarten should be available for all students in Norwell and that this issue is one of the more important at the elementary level. My son was lucky enough to be chosen in the lottery for full day, and it was with great relief that we watched him thrive with the luxury of having time, repetition, and needed breaks throughout the day. I do not believe this would be the case had he been placed in the rapid paced and time crunched half day program. An added concern for our child (and many others) is the fact that educational services pull children in half hour increments from the classroom. So theoretically, should he have been placed in half day kindergarten, on any day he had a speech session he would have been present in the actual classroom for less time than he had in a preschool day. I do not need to cite the abundant research and evidence as to why this is not ideal- and in fact a disservice to our 5 and 6 year olds. My daughter will be going to kindergarten next year, and we already await the lottery with much anxiety that should the luck of the draw not go in her favor, the building block year of her elementary education will be sadly less effective and positive as her brother's. I respectfully request this inequity be addressed and movement towards a solution begin.
A full day kindergarten for all children in Norwell should be available ..
My oldest has just begun full day K and is enjoying it immensely. I want his brother to have the same opportunity through what I hope is a guarantee of full day K and not one through a lottery system. We were fortunate enough to get in through the lottery but would like not to repeat the process.
This is such an important issue. Several years ago, when we moved here, one of the main reasons to choose Norwell was the education system. I am disheartened to see all other surrounding towns around us offering full day kindergarten without a lottery system and without having to pay thousands out of pocket. It is a huge disservice to our children not to mandate all day kindergarten. Please Norwell, listen to the the parents(and the tax payers).
Full day is so important to our kids growth!!
My son loved his teacher, and I felt we were so lucky to have her. She did wonders with her classroom and his first experience with the Norwell Schools was thankfully positive. However, I am baffled that this "pilot" program continues to exist. A paid lottery system? There are so many ethical issues with this approach, never mind the fact that at its very core you have designed a program where half of your kindergarten students have one experience, while the other half has a completely different experience. It doesn't make sense in a public school. I could list out all of my grievances, but suffice to say I hope all of the Norwell parents continue to push forward with this important issue.
Full day Kindergarten should be available to all families who want it. Both my daughters were very lucky to receive full-day education in Kindergarten and I believe it would have been to their detriment if they had been in the 1/2 day program. My mother taught both 1/2 day and full-day Kindergarten and she wholeheartedly believed that her 1/2 day students were not given the same benefits as the full-day children. The schedule did not allow for it. Public education should be equal- it is not so in the differing programs. I believe this so strongly that if Full-day Kindergarten is not available for my next two children- I will be putting them in local private schools but would rather be supporting my local public schools.
This is such an important need in our town and does the kids such an injustice not only in kindergarten but with their adjustment to 1st grade. For a town like Norwell that places such a huge emphasis on education and the state of our schools, it's a complete injustice that we cannot offer all of our children full day kindergarten.
I fully agree with Alicia's statements and support moving to full day kindergarten for all students in Norwell.
There's no doubt full day kindergarten is on the horizon, and I'd be encouraged if Norwell would embrace this transition as opposed to fighting it. As a real estate agent, I know first hand that our quality schools are why young families consider Norwell over other towns, and why our property values remain so strong. Let's find a way to clean up any viable buildings so that we may adopt full day kindergarten. We owe this to our kids. - Mark Hand
It is shocking and disheartening that out town does not offer full day kindergarten. It is a disservice to our children. The lottery system creates a divide and inequity in children's education. This places them on different levels, not only from a knowledge standpoint but an adjustment perspective once the get to 1st grade. Look at the research it is clear half day kindergarten places our kids at a disadvantage.