Schools

Full Day Kindergarten Is A Go For The Fall In Berlin

Once school ends, schools will undergo some minor construction to prepare kindergarten classrooms.


When the Berlin Town Council saw the budget defeated at referendum and knew it had to make some cuts, many wondered if the funding for full-day kindergarten might be eliminated.

While the Council trimmed the BOE budget, Superintendent David B. Erwin and the Board were able to find enough money to still be able to offer full-day kindergarten in town for the first time.

"It was critical as we watched the budget process move forward, we were hoping to be able to continue our plan to offer full-day kindergarten," Erwin said. "We had some cuts but we decided  we wanted to go with it and everything looks good for the future and we think this will be a real positive."

All three elementary schools will offer ful-day kindergarten. There were some costs associated with the move. First new staff has to be hired for the new positions. the other major cost is some re-configuring the classrooms which will house the kindergarten classes.

"We will have minor renovations on some of the rooms and that will start as soon as school ends," Erwin said. "We expect everything to go well with that. We have to retrofit some of the classrooms and add some toilets and other things in those classrooms. We anticipate everything will be done in the construction by the time school starts."

Erwin said a letter had been sent home to all parents of prospective kindergarten students telling them that the school system will be offering full-day kindergarten. 

"We are very pleased and excited about this opportunity for your child and we hope the year proves to be a successful one," the letter says. The letter is attached. 


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