District 70 To Offer Full-Day Kindergarten

The Libertyville Elementary School District 70 Board of Education unanimously approved plans to create two optional, fee-based, full-day kindergarten classrooms for the 2012-2013 school year to begin this fall.

During a recent board meeting, the board approved housing one full-day kindergarten classroom at that will include 10 children from Adler Park School boundaries and 10 children from within Copeland Manor School boundaries. The second full-day kindergarten class will be housed at Butterfield School with 10 children from Butterfield School boundaries and 10 children from within Rockland School boundaries.

The full-day kindergarten will cost $3,500 a student and include cross-town bus transportation. Families interested in the new pilot full-day program will be selected through a lottery system set up online and taking place in the district office on April 2.

As part of the District’s Strategic Plan, coupled with a commitment to offering greater learning opportunities for a wide range of learners within the district, the full-day kindergarten option was developed.

District 70 Supt. Guy Schumacher began seriously designing a new full-day kindergarten program after results of a recent communitywide survey showed families strongly supported such a program. However, the survey showed most families endorsed a full-day kindergarten program for all students with classes at all four elementary schools. The problem with that ideal situation is that classrooms in two schools are completely filled.

“With limited space in all schools and a need for ongoing planning, a pilot design was created to get us all moving in the direction of full-day kindergarten,” Schumacher said. “This is a start.”

Officials will begin planning curriculum for the full-day classes this spring, with program design made available this summer.

Under current enrollment projections, combined with plans for the full-day kindergarten classes, the breakdown for kindergarten classes in District 70 would be as follows: Adler Park with one full-day and one half day, Copeland with three sections of half-day, Butterfield with one full-day and three sections of half-day, and Rockland with one section of half day. 

Parents will be able to register for the full-day program online, beginning March 12, at the District 70 website at d70schools.org. The registration link will go live at 8 a.m. on March 12 and close down at noon on March 30. Parents who register will receive a confirmation email recognizing their interest and commitment for the Full-Day Optional Kindergarten program. Once registered, Supt. Schumacher will hold a lottery on April 2 at the District Office. A letter about the results will be mailed April 3 to every family that registered for the lottery.

Information provided by Libertyville Elemenatry School District 70.