Cummings: Schools Ready for Full-Day K

Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings remains a strong supporter of bringing on full-day kindergarten in September.

“We have the space, we have the desire,’’ he said. “We’re ready to do it.’’

Adding full-day kindergarten remains part of the proposed FY13 budget that was voted on tonight by members of the School Committee.

Cummings described adding full-day kindergarten as “one of the few bright spots in the budget,’’ which calls for the reduction of the full-time equivalent of 12 positions.

Adding full-day kindergarten would cost about $274,000, the cost of the full-time equivalent of 5.5 kindergarten teachers.

Cummings said the town is willing to use free cash to fund this one-time expense.

When the second year of the full-day kindergarten begins, these costs will be offset by an increase in state aid, because the students will be counted differently, from part-time to full-time, he said.

More full-time students results in more state aid, he said.

School Committee member Teri Turgeon said she supported full-day kindergarten educationally, but questioned whether, considering the budget challenges, the issue could be pushed back another year.

“We’re as ready for it this year as we would be next year,’’ Cummings said. He described the addition of full-day kindergarten as “long-awaited.’’