We currently have a child that will be attending kindergarten next year.  Our son, Charlie, is a very bright, energetic child that we feel MUST attend a full-day program.  He missed the September cut-off by a week.  His birthday is September 7th.  So he will turn six the first week of school next year.  He is currently in his third year of pre-school, and though we are thrilled with the school he attends he is growing increasingly bored with the lack of challenging curriculum offered at that level.  He is already reading and solving math problems at a first grade level.  –All on his own accord, he’s simply that kind of kid. 

I tell you all this because here’s our dilemma:  What do we do with Charlie if he doesn’t get into full-day kindergarten?  Half-day is less time, per day, than he currently spends at his nursery school.  How are we to feel like we are meeting our child’s needs?  Do we consider a private school?  And isn’t the mission statement of the Scituate Public Schools to ‘provide the opportunity for a comprehensive education for ALL students’?  We take that to mean whether a student has special needs or is exceedingly bright; rich or poor; etc.  But not because they’re lucky and their name was picked out of hat. 

So here’s our question and our plead…….

I grew up in Scituate and have greatly benefited from the school system.  I have a second grader and love her school community.  I care about the schools so much I volunteer for many programs including Docent Art, and was a committee member and House Coordinator for two houses on the recent Coastal Holiday House Tour (which raised over $19,000 for the elementary schools).  My husband has volunteered at many smaller events like ‘Turn off TV night’, etc.  What would keep us motivated if we are not taken into consideration?

You have the room for Option A.  Everyone will be happier and feel acknowledged.  Smaller class sizes, still saving money, fewer buses.  With Option A everyone wins.  Happy parents equal happy kids.

I know the turnout to vocalize opinions hasn’t been big enough.  Any doubt you have in the concern or lack thereof in parents has more to do with unsavvy first time kindergarten parents and childcare issues of people who would have liked to be there.  This issue affects everyone who lives in Scituate.  Half-day kindergarten will get smaller class sizes.  Homeowners will have a better investment in their homes with the draw of full-day kindergarten to prospective buyers.  Tax payers will feel like their money is actually going towards something important and current to benefit our kids and our town. 

Please change your decision.  Please consider everyone in your community.  Why not give us the choice?  There are so few individual choices we can make as parents, and as town residents.

We know you have a lot on your plate.  It can’t be easy to accommodate everyone and manage a budget, especially in the current economy.  We just beg you to remember that core education begins in kindergarten.  They learn to read, tell time, become dramatically more independent and most importantly become a member of our community.  Doesn’t that make it important enough?