Decision On Adding Full-Day Kindergarten in Wantagh Expected Soon

A decision on whether to add a full-day kindergarten program in the Wantagh School District is expected early next year after a strategic planning committee formed by the board of education in July to study the issue wrapped up its final meeting Monday night. 

Wantagh Board of Education President Michael Cucci said he expects to receive a written report soon from the strategic planning committee, which was asked to determine if the district adding full-day kindergarten is a realistic goal. Cucci said the school board will likely decide whether to expand the district's current half a day kindergarten program to full-day as the 2013/14 budget proposal is crafted early next year.

"We are seriously looking at this issue," Cucci said. 

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Wantagh along with East Meadow are the only two districts in Nassau County that do not offer full-day kindergarten. Neighboring districts in Seaford and Levittown have expanded to full-day kindergarten in recent years. 

Wantagh parent Marie Falco said she is hopeful full-day kindergarten in the district can become a reality for educational reasons. 

“We are one of two districts in Nassau that don't have full-day kindergarten and with all the changes and common core [standards] I don't see how our children can keep up with what's expected of them with only two and a half hours of early childhood learning,” Falco said. “This [issue] is huge for Wantagh.”