Schools
How Should Northfield Address the Kindergarten Classroom Shortage?
With state-funded all-day kindergarten beginning next school year, the district is looking at ways to find space to accommodate all children.
The Northfield Public Schools District is facing a shortage of classroom space in 2014 when it implements the state-funded all-day kindergarten program.
According to Northfield News, the elementary school buildings were not originally constructed to house all-day kindergarten, nor the required special education programs. The district's open enrollment policy and school choice for Northfield families has also contributed to the complexity of the issue, the article said:
"While Greenvale Park currently has four kindergarten classrooms and one additional classroom available, Bridgewater and Sibley are more pressed for space. Bridgewater has four kindergarten classrooms but no other rooms available and Sibley only has three with no additional space to house kindergarten unless other programs are moved."
School board members, as well as building principals and other district staff met last week to discuss possible solutions to the issue. According to Northfield News, among the proposed solutions was to move Sibley's special education program to Greenvale Park. The move would only impact four Sibley students in the program, however, would cost the district more in transportation and specialty equipment.
Read the full article here.
So, Patch asks: What do you think the district should do to accommodate all-day kindergarten? Tell us in the comments section below.
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Related posts on Northfield Patch:
- All-Day, Everyday Kindergarten for All Schools?
- 2013 Legislative Session Wrap Up
- School Would Start Aug. 13 Under Proposed Calendar
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