PRE-K AT THE LIMIT, AND LIKELY TO STAY
Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, John Bombardier, with a pre-k student. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
After two years of growth, the number of children in Red Bank’s lauded pre-kindergarten program is likely to stay static next school year, a direct result of the state’s dire budget situation.
“I don’t know that we’ll be able to expand, but we expect we’ll have the same number of children for next year,” Superintendent Laura Morana said.
Now taking up residence at various locations throughout the borough, the early education program tailored to three- and four-year-olds is at capacity, with 238 students, plus a waiting list.
And Morana can’t stop singing the praises of the state-funded initiative, in which only five school districts in the state were selected to participate.
On Thursday, Morana took redbankgreen on a tour of the newest space utilized by the district, at St. Anthony of Padua church on Bridge Avenue, where students take up four classrooms.
“Without that incredible partnership we would not have been able to expand the program,” said Morana, right. “One thing we’ve seen is how much the children benefit from in this learning environment.”
Students are spread out in classrooms among the Primary School, Tower Hill School, Monmouth Day Care Center, the Community YMCA, Head Start on Drs. James Parker Boulevard and, since September, St. Anthony’s.
Morana touted the program’s simple curriculum learning through playing, essentially as a much-needed springboard into formal schooling.
Students set goals each day, which they must write out, associating themselves with writing skills. And they get a jump start on math every day when they look outside to check the weather, then graph the different types of days they see.
The program also primes the youngsters’ social skills, Morana said.
“The children are responding beautifully,” she said. “They’re like little people who have adjusted so wonderfully, like these little middle schoolers showing up everyday.”
Even if additional funding does come through and it isn’t completely ruled out Morana said the borough might not be able to handle the extra students right now.
“We’re pretty much filled to capacity now,” she said. “I would love to have two additional classes but I don’t see how that can happen because we just don’t have the space.”
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Another initiative the district is launching is a new approach to parent-teacher conferences: cut out the teacher, substitute kid. Or, more accurately, student-led conferences, with the teacher present.
In education speak, they’re called “student-led conferences,” meaning rather than having the teacher meet with parents to explain how their child is doing, the child has to own up to their grades, good or bad.
The idea is for the students to take ownership of their work and be able to identify and explain their strengths and weaknesses, said John Bombardier, supervisor of curriculum and instruction.
“It’ll be just a way to place the child in a leadership role and assume the responsibilities for their progress,” he said.
The pilot program gets started in February, and will only be used in the fourth grade. After that, the school board will assess it and determine whether to expand the idea to other grades.
Jan 15, 2011 @ 09:09:56
WOW….
-Now taking up residence at vatious locations throughout the borough, the Red Bank Early Ed programs are at capacity, plus a waiting list.
-Students are spread out in classrooms among the Primary School, Tower Hill School, Monmouth Day Care Center, the YMCA, Head Start (on Drs James Parker Boulevard & St. Anthony’s.
-Morana says “I would love to have two additional classes, but I don’t see how that can happen because we just don’t have the space.
So Red Bank gives away this building (51 Monm. the old police station) for $1 and pays out $284,000.00 so that the Y can sell this building to RBC.while Red Bank pre-schoolers are being shipped all over town because there is not a place to house them. This is SO wrong in SO many ways!! Not for just our Red Bank kids, but for RED BANK & it’s RESIDENTS. Residents need to wake up and watch what is going on in this town and if your to busy to stay up on everything, support the people that are fighting for the residents and taxpayers rights. This issue is so huge and goes to show the blatant disregard that this council holds for honesty, proceedure & transparency.
Jan 15, 2011 @ 12:28:33
What you speak is truth, Cindy, but the voting population goes the same way every year. The vigilance required to attempt to police the self-interested is not sustainable. Thanks to you and others who act on behalf of taxpayers.
Jan 16, 2011 @ 00:14:56
i agree. the last i heard though is that there are no kids at tower hill anymore. my sisters son went there last year and she felt really out of place, like she didn’t belong. they really did not want rb kids there. she said after a while it was like they were no longer welcome.
by the way, does anyone know if RBC announced any plans as to what the building is going to be used for? and plus, i’m a little in the dark on this one, maybe someone knows, i know churchs don’t pay taxes, do the schools pay taxes? would this building be exempt?
Jan 16, 2011 @ 11:03:52
public schools do not pay taxes on facilities
Jan 16, 2011 @ 11:59:11
Casey, I do believe that the Y has been renting this building to RBC for almost five years. If you google Red Bank Catholic, and view their video, you will see how they use this building and hear their up coming plans for the main campus.
Yes, schools are tax exempt. I wonder what the Board of Ed pays for housing all these pre school classes at other locations throughout town?