Anchor Bay Making Kindergarten Changes Next School Year
Full- and half-day kindergarten will be offered next school year, with certified teachers exclusively running the classroom.
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Anchor Bay Schools will have kindergarten students in the classroom with certified teachers throughout the day next school year.
While addressing budget shortages, the school district implemented a different format this school year that placed full-day kindergarten students with paraprofessionals half the day and certified teachers the other half.
"We feel that was highly successful, but we can no longer do that," Director of Elementary Education Marie Dewitte said Tuesday.
Going back to the original classroom structure was necessary for funding purposes, Dewitte said.
"We have to have them full-day with certified teachers," she said of the reason to move away from paraprofessionals. "The state is no longer going to pay for that."
The district will also continue to offer half-day kindergarten for students whose parents think shorter days would be better for their children. More details about where the half-day classes will be offered should be available in mid-summer. Full-day kindergarten is expected to be at each child's home school, depending on enrollment, she said.
Paraprofessionals who have been working in the classrooms this school year will most likely be placed in other needed areas. Meanwhile, certified educators with credentials to teach kindergarten may be hired for the next school year. It is also possible that teachers who were laid off in 2011 could be called back if they are available, she said.
kidcat24
10:58 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
I can't even stand the lack of integrity by our local government on up to our federal government. To not be able to tell employees face to face that some will lose their jobs is very unprofessional.
kidcat24
10:59 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
It just disgusts me that school employees find out about losing their jobs through the media, like Patch.
kidcat24
1:54 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
As usual everything is kept under wraps and the people most affected are the last to know.
lloman
6:30 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Very disappointed that my child wasn't able to get a full day in Kindergarten this year. The 1/2 day enrichment class was more or less like daycare.
kidcat24
10:23 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Why do you say that Iloman? What did your child do in class?
Disturbed
10:25 pm on Friday, April 6, 2012
So typical of Anchor Bay to let this be publicly posted and let their employees be the last to know What a bunch of clowns running our district, no wonder it's going under. Next I'm sure they will make all of these people wait a second summer break in a row without knowing if they even have a job.
Christina
9:20 am on Friday, April 27, 2012
I was skeptical about the split parapro/teacher arrangement this year, but I can say that Kindergarten has been a wonderful experience for my child. Enrichment was NOT daycare. They projects they worked on in Enrichment were just as "educational" as those they worked on with the teacher. They also had "center time" which allowed for unstructured, imaginative play, which ALL children this age need. Kindergarten is very academic now, and I think there was a good balance this year. We love our child's Kindergarten teacher, as well as the parapro's. To me, this sounds like they will be adding a teacher, and hopefully keep the parapro's on to assist the teacher.
c bolek
8:36 pm on Sunday, September 2, 2012
I am with Christina, we loved the parapro/teacher arrangement, it went very smoothly and they have helped our child out so much!! It was not a daycare at all!!!