Changes to Kindergarten Classes Outlined at Berkeley Heights BOE Meeting

With the budget discussion having monopolized most recent meetings, the Berkeley Heights Board of Education took the opportunity to outline the changes to the kindergarten program at Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center at their April 14th meeting.

Principal of Mary Kay McMillin, Anne Corley-Hand, presented the changes, which include the school day being shortened by half an hour and the elimination of separate special subject classes, with special subjects being integrated into the main classroom.

“I completely support the proposal that has been made,” said Corley-Hand as she cited research by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and consultations with members of the New Jersey Department of Education Childhood Education Program Specialists as sources for the new program.

The new kindergarten program will consist of 2.5 hour days and will not include special subject classes. With the elimination of special subjects, instructional time is increased by 1 hour 10 minutes, even though the school day is shorter. The current kindergarten program consists of three-hour days with a 40-minute physical education period once a week and 30-minute special subject classes (art, music and library) each once a week.  Factoring in travel time, changing classrooms leaves 1 hour 55 minutes and 2 hours 5 minutes of instructional time each day, respectively.  The day will be shortened to allow for the contractually-obligated preparatory period for teachers, which previously took place during special subjects.

“This is what early childhood educators were taught to do, to integrate everything,” said Corley-Hand in regards to the teachers’ ability to add special subjects into their curriculum.

“This is not being driven by budget. This was your recommendation, and by happenstance, it created some savings” said BOE President Paul T. Beisser to Corley-Hand and Superintendent Judith Rattner, addressing speculation over financial motivation for the changes.

Meanwhile, one concerned parent might be looking for an alternative.

“These changes make me very concerned. As someone who is looking at preschools, I’m considering private kindergarten. There’s a lot of enrichment that those things [special subjects] provide,” said resident Karen Brown.

“We are doing it because it is in the best interest of how students learn,” said Rattner, addressing questions over the shortened school day, and emphasizing that students will get more instructional time with the new program.