Full Day Kindergarten

[Chris Santee]

Do you support the Board adding Full Day Kindergarten ?

[David Shea]

This is the best and ONLY option for Fairfax; that is to add full day kindergarten to the budget and for the voters to say YES.

Comment Posted by Jean Shea using David Shea's Account.

[Sandy Alexander]

This is the best and ONLY option for Fairfax; that is to add full day kindergarten to the budget and for the voters to say YES.

Thank you, Dave.  I wholeheartedly agree.
-Sandy

[brownoney]

I'd be psyched for BFA to have a full day kindergarten.

[Counselor]

I think it goes without saying that yes, I wholeheartedly support the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten.

[slpott]

Absolutely and without a doubt in my mind. No i do not have little ones nor will I ever again but social skills are a big problem for kids that stay at home. Mine had a hard time when they entered school and it was very obvious to the teachers. That is just as big a distraction to the classroom than anything else. That should be obvious to most.

[ohhman]

NOT AT ALL!   I think we already push our kids too much & this is just going to add more to them. Let them be kids as long as they can; let them play as  so much learning comes from play.  On the financial end, if a parent chooses to pick up their child @ noon, it has been said the child will not miss academics, so why should the rest of us be responsible to finance a program to have kids play, eat & rest; that's what parents sign on to do when they become parents; that's what daycare providers sign on to do when agreed to provide care.

[mirjo]

My son went to kindergarten at age 4 (oct baby), the afternoon session (cranky, slow to wake up in the morning), isn't a genius, but he graduated from high school, joined  the guards, is now in college majoring in Business and has made the Dean's List. He's very bright and responsible for his age. He has a plan and is now an early riser.

I don't think a full day in Kindergarten would have done anything to improve upon that. All we can ask is to have our children be productive citizens. Mine is on track to being that. I wasn't a full day advocate then and I'm not now. I think it's for the convenience of parents more than benefit of children.

Research is going to show a "new" discovery that young children learn best through free play. Wait and see, it's coming. I've already read something on this amazing new discovery in the NYT. Left to their own devices to initiate games they automatically learn about leadership, cooperation, fair play & so on.

[Willinreach]

I can't speak for BFA Fairfax, but I know Fletcher Elementary is going to full day Kindergarten in the fall.  My oldest daughter who will be 5 in June, currently attends there 3 day pre-school morning program. 

I know I can't speak for other parents or children, but she absolutely loves it and would go 7 days a week if it was available.  When either my wife or myself picks her up, she always says "Do I have school tomorrow?".  I don't know how she is going to be this week with no school!

I know things can change with a child, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will enjoy school and learning through out her education career.

[mkr]

I agree with Mirjo completely....

[ohhman]

I am with you MIRJO!!!  Sometimes we daycare providers DO know what we are talking about in regards to things like this....especially as we are with these little ones most of their waking hours & we are the ones whom greet them when they come home exhausted after a 2/3 day program!....Add on the longer day & the bus ride dealing with "olders" & you've got a good chance for a disaster!

[Papi]

I wonder if the daycare providers have a vested financial interest here...   hmmm.....

[Scott Mitchell]

Disaster? Not to be redundant but.... Really?!?

[ohhman]

In answer to your question about "a vested financial interest" papi, not in the way that you think.  Many in home providers may give a reduced rate to a kindergartner to begin with, some may not.  The state allows us only 6 full time & 4 part-time kids; full time is any child in care over 4hrs. per day.  I think most providers are just going on what we face when our "k's" get off the bus after 2/3rds day; many are exhausted & in dire need of "down time";  many that have a longer bus ride home fall asleep on the ride after 2/3rds day in school.  As a provider with 3 children of my own, all older now, I have cared for many "k's" over the years; also Early-Ed was my major in college so I do speak both with personal experience & education background.  As we all know, many can have lots of education & be very booksmart, but still lack common sense, which to me, this choice of full day lacks LOTS of common sense in many ways: what's best for the kids, we already have a very good 2/3rd day & our school hours are increasing next year regardless, & $$$$$ as it WILLL cost us no matter what.
As for the vested interest, personally speaking it doesn't affect me as there are lots of people looking for daycare always.   But it may affect the parents looking for care for their child as many providers may choose not to enroll a "k" into their program as through the state it's a "full time" spot if that child will need care during summer/vacations so therefore a parent may be paying full time care or at least a higher rate for the day.  Childcare is a business no matter how you look at it;  if you are trying to support your family, will you take a job for 2 hrs a day or 10hrs or more a day?

[rod anode]

stay home with your children save yourself alot of headache ,your basically working for the daycare,have you seen their prices ,wow