Evergreen Public Schools leaders must decide whether to stick with a new kindergarten schedule panned by many parents and some teachers, or to revive the old system, by as soon as next month.
Tonight, Superintendent John Deeder will recommend a course of action to the school board.
That’s one month after a survey returned by more than 500 parents showed that many are unhappy with an alternating-day, full-day schedule for their children.
The board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the Evergreen Room, in the Tan Complex at Evergreen’s administrative service center, 13501 N.E. 28th St.
As part of school bus budget reductions intended to save about $1.5 million this school year, Evergreen switched from half-day kindergarten sessions Monday-through-Friday to alternating, full-day courses.
Savings from dropping midday bus runs to serve morning and afternoon students was put at $600,000, the district said. The effect on students was thought to be minimal, with each child due the same total hours of instruction as in the past.
But several parents said their youngsters are confused or frustrated with on-off routines that have included lengthy gaps. They cite behavior problems and alarming lags in learning.
At least 529 parent surveys (30 percent of 1,754 surveys mailed) counted in early December show that 57 percent of parents favor an immediate return to half-day schedules. About 69 percent would favor a return to half-days in time for next school year.
A much smaller sample of 31 kindergarten teachers (out of 45 total) shows 67 percent oppose an immediate switch, while 61 percent would favor a return to half-days by next September.
Evergreen also received more than six dozen pages of written comments from parents and instructors.
A final board verdict might not come until its Jan. 26 meeting. Deeder has said the earliest any schedule switch would come is early February, given logistics changes needed.
Meantime, the 2010-11 kindergarten schedule won’t be determined until Evergreen’s budget process is complete this spring.
Howard Buck: 360-735-4515 or howard.buck@columbian.com.
