Elementary schools to start, end 5 minutes later next year

By Tracy Ouellette

Staff Writer

The Waterford Graded School District Board voted unanimously Monday night to adjust the start and end times of the district’s three elementary schools – Evergreen, Woodfield and Trailside. The school day will run from 8:35 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. starting this fall.

The move comes at Dousman Transport’s request to allow the bus company a little more leeway after both the Graded School District and Waterford Union High School District voted to allow the company to combine high school and middle school routes to save the districts close to $55,000 in transportation costs.

The 4K question

The board instructed Superintendent Chris Joch to continue gathering information on the long-term effectiveness of 4K programs in school districts similar to Waterford in size and economic status.

At the July 15 Policy and Curriculum meeting, David Linsmeier, executive director of Mary Linsmeier Schools, presented the board with several options should the district wish to institute a 4-year-old kindergarten program. Those included having the program hosted by licensed community agencies with district oversight, contracting with community agencies to have them provide the program, or create a 4K-program in the existing schools.

Mary Linsmeier Schools is based in Brookfield and has locations with district-partnered 4K programs in Waukesha, Watertown, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Muskego.

Linsmeier cautioned the board to make its choice based on what the district needs. He mentioned that although most districts in the state have a 4Kprogram, many do not, including districts such as Elmbrook and Mequon.

He also said Muskego-Norway, which has been running a pilot program, put off making a decision as to whether it would institute a district-wide program until the 2014-15 school.

Because of recent changes, Linsmeier told the board the option of starting a 4K pilot program is no longer available to school districts – if the program is created, it must be provided for all.

Board President Bob Kastengren asked Linsmeier how the district should go about finding out if the program is needed and Linsmeier told the board to “go to the community and have listening sessions.”

Board members stated Monday they would like more data on whether a 4K program will benefit the kids in the long run, as most information they have seen says after the third grade, there is no noticeable difference in achievement for children who were in 4K.

With a nationally ranked high school and consistently high-achieving students, board members questioned the if using district money on a 4K program would make much of a difference.

The board Monday also instructed Joch to come back next month with a recommendation on the possibility of a Title 1 preschool, which would target the kids in the district with educational needs at an earlier age.

Joch had brought that option to the board last month during the 4K discussion. Joch said the board could choose to build a Title 1 preschool with existing funds available to the district instead of creating a 4K program.