POLL: Verona Discusses Full-Day Kindergarten, Advertising
District contemplates advertising as additional revenue source.
Verona voters will have the final say on full-day kindergarten when they vote on Nov. 6, Verona Superintendent of School Steven Forte said Wednesday.
Kindergarteners currently attend three-quarter-long days, but some parents have gone to the board expressing their desire to extend the day.
“There have been some concerned parents that want to go to a full day and we agreed that if voters support it then we would be happy to have it,” said Forte.
If passed, kindergarteners would attend three-quarter days, which end at 12:30 p.m. from September through the winter holidays. In January, students would begin a full day, ending at 2:45 p.m., if the measure passes.
Parents opposed to the full day said the idea was unnecessary and expressed the sentiment that kids should be kids and be able to be home, Forte said.
“I can see both sides,” he said. “I think having a full day is a positive thing considering we are currently trying to do a full days worth of work in three-quarters of a day.”
In other news, the Verona Board of Education is considering ways to soliciting additional advertising revenue to the district.
The board of education will take a vote at the next meeting to decide whether to hire an advertising company.
“The advertising company would handle getting the ads and then we would have the right to approve or refuse the ad,” said Forte. “Any revenue that is generated will come back to the schools and allow us to do things that we can’t do currently, such as improving our technology infrastructure.”
The district would start by placing ads on its website, then in time, adding advertisements to its Friday Folder, a weekly email blast that goes out every Friday. If successful, advertisements may show up on the Verona High School football field.
“There aren't too many districts that do this, but it is getting more popular,” said Forte. “Districts are looking for alternate revenue sources. I don't know how well it's going to be received or how much money we will make, but we won't know until we try.”
How do you feel about the possibility of full-day kindergarten in Verona? It may happen if voters approve the change on Nov. 6 from three-quarter day kindergarten, ending at 12:30 p.m., to full-day kindergarten, ending at 2:45 p.m. Tell us in comments.
Jack Durschlag
12:38 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
The Verona Board of Education agreed to let voters decide on Election Day, Nov. 6 if the district should change three-quarter day kindergarten (till 12:30 p.m.) to full-day kindergarten (till 2:45 p.m.) beginning in January 2013. What are your thoughts? Advice? We want to know. Vote in our Patch poll or comment on the site.
L Freschi
4:37 pm on Sunday, October 14, 2012
Gaining an extra 2.25 hrs will not have a significant or lasting academic benefit to the average 5 year old. Of the additional time, almost an hour of it will be for lunch. The state of NJ does not even mandate kindergarten (except in low income districts). There are full day options available through OLL, Montessori, Creative Beginning and others, but at individual families' expense~ not the taxpayers.
Sue F
5:47 pm on Sunday, October 14, 2012
My husband & I think it's a great idea and a long time coming. With a little one on the way, we are in favor of a full day of school starting in kindergarten. Having grown up in Verona and gone to kindergarten at Forest, my mom says she wished back then we had a full day program (and she was home to take care of us so child care wasn't the issue). We are one of the only towns in the area that don't offer this, and if we do, it will help to increase our property value.