PERU – Starting Monday, Oct. 6, kindergarten students at Peru School will attend class all day instead of heading home at noon.

That 3-0 decision by School Committee members Tuesday night was aimed at solving literacy problems in first through third grades.

“I would be happy with all-day kindergarten,” said Director Richard Colpitts. “If an Ed Tech I could be hired, that would help with literacy. If we want to have an impact with literacy in grades one through three, then (kindergarten’s) the place to do it.”

The committee also asked Superintendent John Turner to hire a Title I Education Technician II to help promote literacy in kindergarten through second grades.

“I like the idea of all-day kindergarten because I think the children will get more out of it,” Turner said. “It’s also hard for parents to get baby-sitting for half-day kindergarten. If we are going to make any change, it should be to an all-day program.”

In addition to addressing literacy problems, directors and Turner also sought to reduce busing costs.

“We’re spending $75 per day plus wages to bus 16 kids home at lunch on two 70-odd seat buses and these kids live in every possible out-of-the-way corner of Peru,” Turner said.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Turner said there had been talk about breaking up the 16-student kindergarten class into two sessions until after Christmas, then bringing them back together after Christmas for the remainder of the year.

“I feel this would cause a lot of problems with parents who have made arrangements for their students for the afternoon,” Turner said.

The class could swell to 17 within the next couple of weeks, which he thought was still a manageable number even though it would be the largest kindergarten size class in the area that includes SAD 21, SAD 43 and St. Athanasius and St. John School.

School Committee Chairman Tammi Lyons and Director Lynda Hebert were absent. Director Janet Rowley was the acting chairwoman.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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