Kindergartners across District 64 have settled into their new spaces. Art is proudly displayed alongside questions of the day. Magnets hold up letters in the alphabet, and on the back of chairs, you’ll find all the essentials, like pencils, notebooks, and folders.
“SMILE, You’re finally in Kinder,” is there to greet all who walk through Miss H’s door. On Wednesday, District 64 extended that affirmation to a group of people who helped bring full-day kindergarten to our schools.
Director of Facility Management Anthony Bersani and Superintendent Dr. Eric Olson took some District 64 Board of Education members on a tour of the new full-day kindergarten additions. They visited Carpenter, Franklin, Field, Roosevelt, and Washington Elementary Schools.
“This is where it all begins,” explained Bersani. Not only was it the beginning of the tour, but the new areas for kindergarten represent the start of a six-year education in each building.
Bersani and Dr. Olson got to show the board in real-time how the District used resources to give our students opportunities to discover, learn, grow and care.
“When you see it there in-person, live, you’re able to see how the students and staff are experiencing the settings. You get to see it in action,” recalled Board President Dr. Denise Pearl on her overall impressions from the tour. “The lighting is so great. The colors are so warm. It’s just such an inviting environment.”
Board members huddled in the doorway of one of the new hallways, and they couldn’t help but comment on how amazing things looked. Eager to see more of the schools, the group moved on. When they walked away, a message was revealed on the classroom’s window, “Dream BIG.”
In less than a year, we announced the addition of full-day kindergarten, tore down walls, and built new additions from the ground up. Now, the classrooms are filled with excited students who are passionate about learning.
Before the implementation of full-day kindergarten, it was a topic the community was passionate about for years. Dr. Pearl has a unique understanding of the importance of these additions because she is not only the Board President, but her kids also went to school in the District.
“It’s this historical impact,” said Dr. Pearl. “As parents, you’re changing how you think about schedules for your kids. You know, longer term, there are childcare issues that I think full-day kindergarten eliminates. There are also benefits in making that big learning transition easier for students. “
Thank you to all who made the dream of full-day kindergarten a reality in District 64.