Petition Calls For Full Day Kindergarten

A petition circulating around Wallingford is requesting school officials implement a full-day kindergarten program, but Supt. of Schools Sal Menzo says he would rather see a strengthening of the district's preschool programs.

Parent Jennifer Cabral told the Board of Education Monday night that she and others have collected about 100 signatures on petitions calling for a full-day kindergarten program. She doesn't have children in the Wallingford schools currently, Cabral said, but has two young children who soon will start school.

"The fact is, to have a successful full-day kindergarten program, you have to have a well-defined program leading into it," Menzo said.

There's no data right now that supports the 100 percent the value of a full-day kindergarten experience, Menzo said. 

"Studies have been inconclusive," he said, especially if the first, second, third and fourth-grade programs aren't rigorous enough, which makes the gains level off.

While other district have adopted full-day kindergarten programs, it's not as easy for Wallingford to do so, he said. Other districts have had enrollment decreases that have freed up teachers and space, he said, which has made implementing such a program easier, he said.

He would rather see an expansion in the district's preschool program, Menzo said. 

"We could stand to have 80 to 100 more preschool spaces," he said. "That would be a great opportunity."

Board member Michael Votto said that he would like to see more private preschools accredited, which would mean they would align their programs with the district's requirements. That would mean the children would enter kindergarten better prepared for school, he said.

"Many preschools are not accredited," he said, "and that is part of the issue."

If there are parents who are in favor of the board implementing a full-day kindergarten program, he would like to hear from them, Votto said.