School Board Weighs Options For Early Grades

The Board of Education meeting closed Monday with the simple request to reduce class size in some elementary grades and to run the existing pre-kindergarten programs with significantly less federal funds, and expand the kindergarten program to 100 more students. 

“There aren’t enough funds to get everything we want,” said Superintendent of Schools Paul Kadri of next year’s budget. 

Kadri said that kindergarten can grow if he consolidates the programs and there is approximately $200,000 less federal funds to either reduce class size at Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School or maintain the pre-kindergarten program for one more year. 

“All three of these are critical, I would rather you just come up with what will give us the biggest bang for the buck,” said Board of Education Chairperson Brian Shirvell. 

Kadri said that the district is running four pre-kindergarten classes for around $550,000 but, he said, they have around $350,000 for next year. Kadri said one scenario could include reducing transportation costs and hiring extra staff with the savings.

A lot of money is being spent on transportation costs, which is around $130,000 for the four classes, said Kadri. 

“With more paraprofessionals we’re allowed to increase the number of students in the classroom,” he said. “We have four classes running at maximum capacity, we don’t think we will be able to afford as many but we’d like to run as many as we can.”

Preference for pre-kindergarten students is given to those who need extra help. Groton’s pre-kindergarten programs are funded by federal funds designated for disadvantaged students.

Or, Kadri said, the money could be used to reduce class size. Next year, five classes in the elementary schools will have 24 or more students to one teacher.

“If we put another teacher in, we can lower class sizes,” Kadri said, and he referred specifically to the first grade in the , which has 24.5 students enrolled next year. The Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School is the only school in the district that qualifies for the federal funds.

Funding to reduce class sizes is in direct competition with maintaining the pre-kindergarten programs and needed tutoring. 

“We need to get out of the box that we’re in,” said education board member Chaz Zezulka. “Across the country there are lots of different ways of having students go through the system.” 

Zezulka listed full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs as his top priorities and suggested mixing grade levels to reduce class size. 

“I’d have to talk to curriculum to see what the impact is there, but it’s certainly something worth looking at,” said Kadri. “You can’t rule out anything.” 

Increasing Kindergarten

Currently the district has eight full-day kindergarten teachers and six half-day kindergarten teachers. Kindergarten classes hold 20 students and there is a waiting list for the full-day program. 

Kadri proposed to consolidate the kindergarten programs from seven schools to four.

“If we do the sister school, where transportation is provided by parents, then we can run five more (full-day) kindergarten classes and have half-day (kindergarten) for the other 77 students with eight teachers.” 

Kadri said that would cost $160,000 more than what is budgeted. 

“So if I can save some money in transportation and other things, I can cover that and offer 100 more slots of full-day kindergarten.”