With two all-day classes of 20 students each, there are even more youngsters on the waiting list throughout the district whose families want them to participate in the program.
Roz Harrison, the district’s preschool manager, had an inkling of the popularity when registration began last month.“The line was around the hall,” she said. “The half-day program does not have a waiting list.”The popularity of Carman-Buckner’s daylong pilot preschool program has District 60 officials considering how to expand it for the 2024-2025 school year at more elementary schools, to better prepare students for kindergarten and ease working families’ burdens.
Open to all District 60 families, Silva said students must be between 3 and 5 years of age and not turn 5 before Sept. 1, when they become eligible to go to kindergarten. With potentially two years of exposure to school, the children are well-prepared for kindergarten. “We increase the focus on literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills,” Silva said. “They have increased time developing social skills, like conflict resolution. This helps them develop relationships which is the basis of success.”Already knowing the first 17 letters of the alphabet, the sounds they represent and how to count from one to 10, Dinayda Garcia-Diaz, one of the all day teachers, said she will not be surprised if some understand basic arithmetic and can write their names.
When students need personalized help, they get it in preschool classes at Carman-Buckner Elementary School. When Silva submits his plans and ideas for the next school year in March, he said expanding the all-day preschool program will be on his list.Both Price and Silva said full-day preschool is an advantage to some families who are not easily able to bring their children to school, leave them for two to three hours and then take them home.