At its meeting on March 28, the Shamong Township Board of Education approved the development of a full-day kindergarten program in the Shamong Township School District, beginning with the 2012–2013 school year. In September 2012, students attending kindergarten in the district will follow the same schedule as IMS students in grades one to four, beginning their day at 8:45 a.m. and dismissal at 3:10 p.m. Transportation will be provided within the same bus routes as other IMS students.
The district is excited to provide this opportunity of a full-day schedule for kindergarten students. Administration and teachers have been diligently researching various aspects of this concept, and the Board supports their recommendation. Because the Common Core State Standards set the course for students to achieve at higher levels, the standards upon exiting kindergarten are now very rigorous. A full-day kindergarten program provides crucial opportunities for children to build upon previous experiences that sustain the development of their cognitive, social and emotional skills. The program will provide a relaxed, unhurried school day, with more time for a variety of experiences and a greater opportunity for screening and educational assessment. Educators and students have more occasions for quality interaction, and teachers are allowed more time for both formal and informal instruction, as well as more flexibility to modify the curriculum to meet students’ needs and interests.
Research and data studies show that children who participated in a full-day kindergarten program made statistically significant gains in early reading skills by the end of Kindergarten year when compared to their peers who attended a half-day program. The Shamong School District’s full-day kindergarten program will reflect a developmentally appropriate curriculum with carefully paced activities, which is expected to prevent problems with fatigue and anxiety for students. Aspects within Shamong’s full-day program are expected to include shared reading, project work, guided reading, math explorations, independent reading, read-aloud, writing workshops, snack, lunch, outdoor recess, and time in the related arts areas. Increased time in these areas is seen as opportunities for our kindergarten students to advance their cognitive, social and emotional skills that will help them become competent and eager learners.
With the introduction of a full-day kindergarten program, Shamong School District will be joining the 70 percent of other districts in New Jersey with a full-day kindergarten program. The district looks forward to the advantage this program presents for the children of Shamong.
