Kindergarten, the next event!!

The next big event for the school board appears to be tackling the all day kindergarten issue. This will also be a major one because it has such long term ramifications. Attached below are facts through the efforts of Kelly Proudfit. Kelly has put together this information to help educate the board and the concerned citizens and to show the facts surrounding this important issue. This is another item that people must speak out against, the facts as provided through state and local governments are irrefutable and should be considered before the board makes their decisions.

Here is the web site for the parent voice group who also has a blog to follow the ongoing Trinity Saga. http://www.trinityparentsvoice.com/

1. The State of Education Department of PA supports full-day and has been in contact with our district trying to save full day. You can call Dr Daschbach yourself. She was the original education consultant from the state who helped put the full day into place with the previous superintendent. She told me she has been giving the district research and information that only supports full-day and trying to help save it. She is the one who told me there is not much hope because the board simply doesn’t want to pay for it.

2. State Representative Brandon Neuman supports full-day and is trying to reach out personally to each board member to let them know how the state feels. He to said he would speak to you on the record for an article. I have asked him to write a letter to the editor and am waiting to hear back. His number is:  (717) 783-4834

3. The parents of Trinity support full-day. 95% of the surveys to parents fully supported full-day. This was shared at the education meeting.  266 parents signed the trinity parent voice petition to save full-day. This petition has been shared with all the board members.4. The teachers of the district almost unanimously support full-day
5. The Research supports full-day. Dr. Paul Kasunich has now twice in education meetings shown data that supports the fact that full-day is improving reading in our schools.  The state said the data nationally and locally full supports full-day and that is exactly why they have been funding the program. Dr Daschbach has been directly giving Trinity this data.
6. The education committee is recommending to continue full-day for next year. This is the big thing. If our education committee is making the recommendation this has to be public. People need to make sure the board is listening to our specialized committee’s recommendations.
7.   Trinity test scores support full-day.  Marlene Kanuck in charge of the Accountability Block Grant (Grant which has funded fully-day for  past 4 years) says the test data supplied to the state from the district shows that full-day is working. See her direct quote via email:
“I suggest that you go to the district and request a copy of the full Final Expenditure report for ABG from 07-08, 08-09, 09-10 and this years Mid Year Report. Make sure you ask for the complete report - including the Assessment Narrative information. There is data included on test scores that show FDK is working. The assistant superintendent, Dr. Weaver, is the contact person.

8. The state has been funding full-day. Trinity school district has been taking money from the state for over 4 years toward full-day kindergarten. This funding according to Brandon Nueman most likely won’t come to an end next year. March 8th the state announces what money will be available.