ELDRED, NY — In a reversal of position, the school board voted unanimously to adopt a multi-age program that will serve up to 13 pre-Kindergarten students by blending them in a class with seven Kindergarten students. This plan was introduced by Superintendent Dr. John Morgano.

At a prior board meeting, early enrollment numbers for Kindergarten stood at 26. Morgano said at that time that if enrollment stayed below 30, one class would be operated and staffed by a teacher and an aide, but that if enrollment reached 30, the class would be split into two, each staffed by one teacher, with no aide. 

Elementary school principal Scott Krebs stated that as of the meeting held on August 20, enrollment was at 29 with one additional enrollee and one special needs student pending. Splitting the class into two would allow for potential enrollment growth during the school year. 

A sum of $61,200 in state grant money is available to the district if they operate a pre-K program for 12 students. The decision was made to cap the program at 13, which was the number of pre-registered participants, before the pre-K program was scrapped earlier in the year due to budget concerns. If enrollment is sought for more than 13 students, a lottery will be instituted. The state aid will be proportionally lost if the program drops below 12 enrollees, but the board and administration stated unequivocally that they did not anticipate this to be an issue. 

The pre-K and Kindergarten students will be taught by two teachers and four aides. District treasurer Caleb Russell said that three aides will be hired with the grant money at a cost of $18,000 to $20,000 per aide. This amount includes employer taxes and the positions do not include health-care benefits.

This accounting appears to leave the cost of one aide not covered by grant money but absorbed by general funds, in addition to the hiring of the second Kindergarten teacher.

Multi-age classroom settings are not a new concept, according to Kindergarten teacher June Lombardi. Teaching at the elementary school is done based on a team concept, with younger students being mentored by their older counterparts. Tasked with making the program work, Lombardi said she envisioned a very fluid program where pre-K readers could work along with Kindergarten students while other students work to build entry-level skills. “It will be like one big family with six adults,” she said.

State rules cap the number of students in any classroom that includes a pre-K student at 20. The seven youngest Kindergarten students will be included in the class with the pre-K. Kelly Robertson, who previously taught pre-K and is scheduled to teach first grade in the upcoming year, asked that factors other than age be used to determine who these seven students should be. The board stated that, in the interest of fairness to all, they decided to assign these students by age.

The effect of this program on the bus routes and transportation costs has not been determined.

Among other changes, the hiring of Sara Simon-Shult as elementary music teacher and resignation of Colleen Koenig, high school special education teacher, were announced.