Byram Lakes Elementary School “Where love of learning begins”

Projected Kindergarten Students There are 78 projected students in the kindergarten classes for the school year This # includes School Choice students (72 Byram) If that group were put into four classes, we would have two classes of 20 students and two classes of 19 students

Looking Forward Projected kindergarten students : 54 Projected kindergarten students : 60 These numbers come from the township based on births in Byram These years do not include School Choice students

Enrollment History Since the district had a decrease in enrollment of 207 students (5 years) Since the district had a decrease in enrollment of 149 students (3 years)

Staffing History In the FTE staffing was 122 full time staff In the FTE staffing is 121 full time staff Full time staff decreased by 1 FTE over that time

Staffing History In the PT FTE staffing was 27.6 part time staff In the PT FTE staffing is 29.6 part time staff Part time staff increased by 2 FTE over that time Basically enrollment has decreased by 149 students since , but staffing has increased by 1 FTE

Based on the current year’s staffing we would need two additional teachers for full day implementation Currently there are six teachers in second grade There are proposed four groups of second grade students for the school year This gives us the staff we need to fill the two projected additional kindergarten classes Staffing

Scheduling The kindergarten students would receive the following specials each week: PE/Health, Music, Art, and Enrichment In carefully dissecting the scheduling needs and the available instructional time of staff, there is enough available time to allow for these students to have their specials without an increase in staffing in these areas.

Sample Schedule PeriodSubject 1ELA 2 3Math 4 5Lunch 6Rest/Free Choice Play 7Science 8Specials 9Social Studies Snack time would be built into the daily schedule based on where teacher feels it benefits students most. Rest/Free Choice Play could last from between September and December based on how the students adapt.

Lunch/Recess Periods Full day kindergarten would be scheduled for lunch in school These students would be paired up with the first grade students during this time There are projected to be 62 students in first grade next year An estimated 140 students would share that lunch period There are sixteen (16) tables in the cafeteria Three are set aside for students with allergies, leaving thirteen tables Sixteen younger students can sit at each table 208 students can be accommodated by the current seating arrangement Kindergarten recess would take place in the playground nearest the kindergarten classes and away from the first grade students

Busing Full day kindergarten would eliminate the need for mid day buses that we currently utilize Eliminating these routes will save the district approximately $42,000 Implementing a full day program will also eliminate making up kindergarten sessions due to emergency early dismissals

Physical Space A small group instructional class occupying a full size classroom will be relocated to a smaller room in the same hallway A second room will be made available by relocating a staff office occupying a full size classroom to a small group instruction room Both of these moves will allow all kindergarten classrooms to be in the same hallway

Classroom Setup Costs MaterialsCost Per Classroom Total Cost for 2 Rooms Tables/Chairs$1600 $0 - We currently own desks and chairs from a previous year Rugs$650 $1300 General Teaching Supplies $300 $600 Additional Supplies$350 $700 SMARTboard$3000 $3000 – one room already has a SB Misc. – tables, teacher desk, etc. $1000 $1000 – currently own some tables and teacher’s desk Textbooks/Workbooks$3000$0 – textbooks/workbooks would be purchased for each student, half day or full day anyway Total Est. $6,600

NJ Districts with Kindergarten Total Districts with Kindergarten510 Districts with Full Day Kindergarten376 or 74% Districts with Full and Half Day Kdg26 or 5% Districts with Half Day Kindergarten108 or 21%

What Does the County Look Like? Full Day Kindergarten - 15Half Day Kindergarten - 5 Andover Byram Franklin Frankford Fredon Hopatcong Green Lafayette Hamburg Sparta Hampton Hardyston Montague Newton Ogdensburg Sandyston-Walpack Stanhope Stillwater Sussex-Wantage & Vernon

Half Day vs Full Day Current half day program utilizes a daily total of approximately 135 minutes dedicated to academics and specials, not counting snack, clean up, pack up time. Full day schedule would represent approximately 315 minutes dedicated to academics and specials including rest/play time, but does not include lunch This is a difference of 180 minutes or three hours daily Over 180 days this is 540 hours of increased instructional time.

Full Day Kindergarten Proposal Research over the years also addresses the benefits of a full day program. According to West Ed, an educational research group, “Research comparing half-day and full day kindergarten shows that children benefit from a developmentally appropriate, full day program, most notably in terms of early academic achievement – a foundation for school and life success. Full day kindergarten can afford children the academic learning time needed to prepare for mastery of primary- grade reading and math skills. In doing so, such programs help circumvent subsequent needs for remediation or grade retention.”

Why Full Day Kindergarten? Standards in education outline high expectations for all students in order to achieve career and college readiness skills upon graduation. With the increase in expectations in kindergarten, I strongly believe that we are not giving our students here in Byram an equal opportunity to succeed. I thus propose a full day program so that our students will have the ability to be successful in their academic careers and ultimately life.

In Summary The estimated total savings would be approximately $35,000 to have the full day kindergarten implemented in the Byram School District in the school year just based on the difference of the additional cost for classroom setup items and the elimination of mid day kindergarten busing. The greatest advantage to the implementation of the full day kindergarten program, in my opinion, would be the benefits it would have on the students academically, socially, and emotionally. Full day does not mean covering the same amount of curriculum in the extended time; students would be exposed to a greater breadth and depth of curriculum. The teachers would be able to give the appropriate time dedicated to those concepts that may be more difficult to grasp or more abstract based on student understanding.

In Summary This may translate to less students requiring remediation or involvement in the basic skills program in future years. The extended day would allow for structured ‘play’ periods where students are still learning academic concepts in the process by working at a learning station set up by the teacher or even developing social skills by working collaboratively with classmates. Also, a better teaching/learning pace due to the extended daily time would also benefit the students emotionally as schools have been experiencing more and more students exhibiting anxiety toward school.

Finally… The consideration of a full day kindergarten program in the district by the Byram Board of Education is greatly appreciated. Our Lenape Valley Regional High School sister sending districts, Stanhope and Netcong, are currently implementing full day kindergarten programs in their districts. In my opinion Byram is ready for a full day kindergarten program in the upcoming school year, mandated or not. We owe it to our students and their successful futures.

The time is now!