York Town News
Kindergarten enrollment up for coming school year
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - Although the start of the next academic year may still seem a long way away, local school officials are in the midst of planning for the beginning of school in September.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione and Assistant Superintendent Jim Amoroso met with the School Committee last Wednesday to discuss, among other things, enrollment and hiring for the 2007-2008 academic year.
Scipione told the board that predictions of a significant decrease in kindergarten enrollment are off from what was first anticipated, which is good news in terms of overall school enrollment decline but could be problematic if the class size numbers grow too high.
"Kindergarten is always a moving target," Scipione told the committee at the June 11 meeting, explaining that enrollment had been projected at 107 students for the incoming kindergarten class but, as of last week, was up to 118 students.
Scipione said school officials are carefully watching the impact on classroom size but, at this time, the addition of another section of kindergarten is not recommended.
School Committee members questioned whether the increase in students enrolling in kindergarten may be due to this year's change from a half-day program to full-day kindergarten, which may have encouraged parents who paid for private full-day programs to choose enrolling their children in the public schools.
Scipione also updated the board on the School Department's status for hiring staff and noted the only vacant posts, as of last week, were a part-time Spanish position and the industrial technology position held by beloved York High School teacher Jack Hoyt, who passed away earlier this year.
Scipione said he is confident those positions will be filled in advance of the school year, and added interviews are underway for the Spanish position.
The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. at the York Public Library.
