Fulltime Kindergarten Requests at All-Time High in Acton

Director of Personnel and Administrative Services Marie Altieri reported to the Acton Public School Committee fulltime kindergarten is rising.

So much so that the most recent request was an all-time high.

During a meeting taped by ActonTV, Altieri said 23 families did not receive their first choice.

"This is always very hard," she said. "We do our best to get that number as low as possible, but it’s consistent with what we had the last few years."

Altieri said the school district projected 268 incoming kindergarteners, but the actual number is 273.

"This can change on a daily basis," she said.

The district has 273 kindergarteners placed in 14 classrooms with an average class size of 19.5, Altieri said.

There are seven all-day kindergarten classes with two sections at both Douglas and McCarthy-Towne.

Fifteen families are on the waitlist for Douglas School, with six on the waitlist for Gates and two for Merriam.

Most of the schools have three kindergarten sections with only two at Gates School for next fall, as was the case this year.

Altieri said the district will continue to eliminate one section a year for two years at each of the elementary schools because of declining enrollment.

Out of 177 requests, the district was able to place 133 in an all-day kindergarten classroom, with 44 on the waitlist.

"Two-thirds requested all-day kindergarten. That's an all-time high," Altieri said. "The need is growing. We’ve worked hard to accommodate as many as possible."