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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... EDUCATION Medford School Board OKs full-day kindergarten State funding will fully cover program Comment By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News The Medford School Board Monday gave district officials the green light to make preparations for implementing full-day kindergarten starting this fall. Board members voted 5-1 in favor of the longer school day so long as the state can afford to fund it. In 2011, under Senate Bill 248, the state promised additional funding starting in fall 2015 to districts offering full-day kindergarten, but only recently demonstrated that it has the funds to support that bill. Board member Kim Wallan voted against the full-day program because she felt the decision was premature, as the funding was not yet secure. Board member Ron Andersen was not present for Monday’s meeting, but, according to board member Sally Killen, was fully supportive of full-day kindergarten. Medford kindergartners currently attend school for about 2½ hours a day but, in the next school year, will attend for nearly seven hours a day. School and district administrators calculated the cost of implementing a full-day program to be about $6.13 million, and expect to receive nearly $6.9 million from the state. Costs include $340,404 for additional curriculum, $104,375 for additional furniture and $410,000 to rent modulars for four schools that don't have the space to accommodate full-day kindergarten. At the start of Monday’s board meeting, two parents of Jacksonville Elementary students expressed concerns that the longer school day was not developmentally appropriate for 5- and 6-year-olds and not as important for those living in a stable home environment. They also warned the board that some parents who shared their mindset may take their kindergartners elsewhere or choose to home school if a full-day program is implemented. Julie Evans, director of elementary education, and Medford schools Superintendent Brian Shumate assured parents that the kindergarten schedule would take into consideration  5- and 6-year-olds' attention span and include a variety of meaningful and physical activities. Administrators researched the benefits of full-day versus half-day kindergarten and initially recommended a three-quarter-day program to the board. However, they changed their minds after learning that the state would only provide half-day funding for it. “I've read the research on the effectiveness of early childhood education, and for the majority of the population we are serving, this will be beneficial,” said Board member Marlene Yesquen. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501