After a review of enrollment trends for kindergarten schedule options, as well as gathering staff input, it has been decided that beginning with the 2010-11 school year, all kindergarten classes will be offered on an all-day, alternate-day (AD/AD) schedule. On this schedule, children attend all day Monday and Wednesday and a half-day on Friday, or all day on Tuesday and Thursday and a half-day on Friday. We are pleased that this change will allow the following benefits for our incoming kindergarteners:

 

•  Two full days and a half-day weekly will provide more uninterrupted instructional time to teach the kindergarten curriculum.

•  Scheduling will allow collaboration among early childhood teachers and may allow for flexible grouping of students.

•  Most Forest Hills students already have attended pre-school for one or two ears and have shown a readiness for all-day programming.

•  Teachers will be able to include a rest time for the first few weeks of school for those students who need it. It is our experience that most students no longer require this break once routines are established.

•  Busing is now available to our kindergarten students before and after school. Friday will be the only day parents will need to provide noon transportation.

•  Building safety is improved due to the elimination of noon pick-up, drop-off traffic Monday through Thursday.

•  Class sizes and composition will be more consistent and balanced.

•  Young Fives will continue to be offered on a half day, every day schedule.

•  Fee-based, on-site childcare (which is a self-supporting program) will continue to be available all day, every day for kindergarten students, and when space allows, their four-year-old siblings (if five by December 1, 2010).

•  Kindergarten students may ride the regular bus to and/or home from half-day and all-day child care.

 

As always, it is our intent to improve the quality of programming we offer to our community. Should you have questions or concerns about our kindergarten or Young Fives program options, please call your principal.  

     

Forest Hills All Day/Alternate Day Kindergarten

(no half-day kindergarten)

Monday and Wednesday all day and Friday half day

Tuesday and Thursday all day and Friday half day. Please download the latest edition of the August/September 2010 Focus newsletter (link below) to see kindergarten start and end times that are listed on page 3.

All school supply lists will be posted on the individual school web site or school center site.

              

Schools of Choice

For additional information, please email questions to soc@fhps.us or call the Forest Hills Public Schools Instruction Office at 493-8806.