POLAND – Lynn DiBiase rang the chimes as a signal for her kindergarten class to wash up for lunch.

Hannah Pierce had never gone through a cafeteria lunch line before this year. So many huge serving utensils to master. So many decisions: a cookie or a cantaloupe wedge, or both.

Now that Poland Community School has a full-day kindergarten program for the first year, kids like Hannah are finding out that there’s a lot more to school than just learning the ABCs. The new program is designed to give kindergartners the time they need to learn how to be in school.

“I was kind of scared of the cafeteria at first,” said Hannah after she showed off a multicolored visor she had made that morning. “But it’s not that hard. You just get your lunch number and your tray. And then you eat.”

Hannah made school sound like a piece of cake. After the first week of school, she knows the names of every student in her class. She has learned bathroom etiquette. She has discovered that “real” school has a lot of rules, like thumbs up means time to listen.

“It’s a lot different than preschool,” said Hannah. “Except the scissors are the same.”

Poland’s four kindergarten teachers agree that the full-day program’s biggest advantage is more time. They’re not trying to cram more Maine Learning Results into those fresh little brains. Instead, they’re giving new students opportunities to develop a longer attention span and to master kindergarten skills thoroughly, said Karen Beaudoin, kindergarten teacher.

“We’re not trying to make them all little first-graders,” said Darcy Whittemore, another teacher. “But with the extra time, we can show them more how to do something. We can direct them more. We’re not always rushing against the clock, and telling them to hurry because it’s time to clean up.”

Teachers throughout the school are hoping that the full-day program will pay dividends for their classes as kindergartners make their way through the grades.

During her first year in Poland, Principal Carolyn Johnson asked her faculty what they wanted most in their school. Across grades and disciplines, the answer came back as a full-day kindergarten.

The good news was that Johnson had instituted a full-day program several years ago in South Portland where she was principal. Johnson was confident and comfortable about making the teachers’ wish happen.

Then Johnson gave teachers the bad news. The change would have to come within the confines of the current budget. No new staff, and no new program money, said Johnson.

Last year’s budget for K-6 regular education was approximately $2 million. This year’s budget is at $2.1 million.

Not only did teachers agree to rearrange school schedules, class sizes and combinations, but nine of them wanted the four new kindergarten slots that would open for this fall, said Johnson.

The school had two kindergarten teachers with two sessions each last year. This year, there are still four classes but the full need required two more full-time teachers.

Whittemore, Beaudoin, DiBiase and Lynda Parker were chosen in the end because of their previous experience and their chemistry.

“All of the teachers were certainly qualified,” said Johnson. “But I really wanted four teachers who would function as a team. I didn’t want four disconnected classes, but four people who would work well together and have a consistent curriculum.”

DiBiase pointed out that much of the kindergarten curriculum focuses on students’ hopes and dreams. Teaching responsibility and social skills translate into meeting goals that get kids one step closer to their dreams. For some, it’s as simple as making new friends, said DiBiase.

A parent brochure prepared last spring echoes the same goals for the teachers. “Our goal is to develop children who are well prepared to learn and grow.”