46 replies to this topic

[Martin]

Sad--I would rather see the schools completely get rid of kindergarten --with their half day abc 123 sesame style make the parents teach the rest and stress them out about 1st grade---rather than see a bunch of students lose the opportunity for chemistry, calculus and such (12th graders), which really, really helps them be prepared for higher organizational thinking at college.....WTF are people's priorities?

Kindergarten for my son has been awesome....not Sesame Street style at all. So, you think unprepared 1st graders are okay as long as kids get chemistry, etc. Seems like your priorities are mixed up as well. Plus it is insulting to the excellent FCUSD Kindergarten teachers to think parents can do a better job than them.

[normajean]

i agree with supermom, let kids stay home and be kids, play, laugh, for an extra year. what's the rush? you're an adult for the rest of your life, you're only a kid for a few years.....dump kindergarten!

[pet lover]

Parents already have a choice to keep their children at home for Kindergarten. Kindergarten is not a mandatory requirement. With that said, children who don't complete Kindergarten are at a very big disadvantage when they enter first grade. Rather than knock Kindergarten how about we lighten up on the standards put upon kids and let them grow up as kids!?!?!?!?!?

i agree with supermom, let kids stay home and be kids, play, laugh, for an extra year. what's the rush? you're an adult for the rest of your life, you're only a kid for a few years.....dump kindergarten!

[legofamily]

I think getting rid of Kindergarten would be a big mistake. My daughter is learning far more than just ABCs. She is being taught reading, math and science. More importantly, Kindergarten is a great stepping stone for the next five years in elementary school. My daughter is learning social and behavioral skills as she interacts with the other kids in her class.

[rightwingknot]

I think getting rid of Kindergarten would be a big mistake. My daughter is learning far more than just ABCs. She is being taught reading, math and science. More importantly, Kindergarten is a great stepping stone for the next five years in elementary school. My daughter is learning social and behavioral skills as she interacts with the other kids in her class.

+100

Sadly, more and more kids needs this these days because more and more parents don't teach those social skills at home.

[normajean]

i will give you that, that parents are not teaching those skills at home, so maybe let's work on having parents fix things instead of schools, but that's another thread!!

in the present system where keeping a child home for kindergarten when 99% of everyone else goes, would be a determent to that small percent that stayed home, however, if ALL stayed home, they'd be on a level playing field......

[JoAnne Reinking]

In following the latest additions to this thread- it keeps bringing to my mind- why doesn't CA have a September cutoff date (like the majority of states) instead of December? There would be some small savings this school year to change it. Is there a benefit?

[stacycam]

I'd like to know, too. No one starts their kids anyway. My poor November b-day daughter is so young. Nowadays, parents think June is considered young for the grade - and that is six months before the official cutoff!

[The Average Joe]

"There would be some small savings this school year to change it. Is there a benefit? "

This is the kind of monetary hanky panky that does nothing to address the fundamental flaws in the system, and merely assures that next near, we'll be back to square one. I'm reminded of the state delaying payments by one day so it would have current year "savings", (as the payment could be charged to the next year.)

[supermom]

Kindergarten for my son has been awesome....not Sesame Street style at all. So, you think unprepared 1st graders are okay as long as kids get chemistry, etc. Seems like your priorities are mixed up as well. Plus it is insulting to the excellent FCUSD Kindergarten teachers to think parents can do a better job than them.

omg---

Insulting the teachers (are you for real? seriously how is this insulting a teacher, anyway? we are talking about starting kids out a year later and giving them a chance to mature a little longer before school is expected rather than optional..Absolutely no optional programs should be unilaterallly off the table at this point.) or save a few million dollars per year and put our district back on track?

[l479]

Why does it seem that FCUSD has more significant budget problems than Roseville (RJUHSD)? They seem like comparable communities so they would seem to be facing they same budget issues, but it seems that FCUSD is worse off (Furloughs, RIFs, and Budget Deficits). It feels as if Folsom is in a similar situation to Natomas or Elk Grove, two communities that are not as socioeconomically comparable to Folsom as is Roseville.

The only reason that I have heard is that Folsom lacks Mella-Roos Fees, so Roseville has extra revenue from those fees that we are lacking in Folsom. Any ideas?

FCUSD is an under funded district. The revenue limit was set when Mather Air Force Base was in operation. The Federal Government subsidized the funding for each student in our district. When the base closed, we lost the funding and receive less per student.

[l479]

Why does it seem that FCUSD has more significant budget problems than Roseville (RJUHSD)? They seem like comparable communities so they would seem to be facing they same budget issues, but it seems that FCUSD is worse off (Furloughs, RIFs, and Budget Deficits). It feels as if Folsom is in a similar situation to Natomas or Elk Grove, two communities that are not as socioeconomically comparable to Folsom as is Roseville.

The only reason that I have heard is that Folsom lacks Mella-Roos Fees, so Roseville has extra revenue from those fees that we are lacking in Folsom. Any ideas?

http://www.pacificas.....l Finance.pdf

[FiscalConservative]

Kindergarten for my son has been awesome....not Sesame Street style at all. So, you think unprepared 1st graders are okay as long as kids get chemistry, etc. Seems like your priorities are mixed up as well. Plus it is insulting to the excellent FCUSD Kindergarten teachers to think parents can do a better job than them.

Many generations went without kindergarden and they lead successful lives without it ...


Oh! That's right! You're about to say .. "Things are different now" ...

[FiscalConservative]

+100

Sadly, more and more kids needs this these days because more and more parents don't teach those social skills at home.

I know of no public sector agency or school district that would not accept a personal check from an individual who strongly believes in supporting a service that the agency or school districy is providing for them or their family.

[cw68]

Many generations went without kindergarden and they lead successful lives without it ...

That's true. Also used to be that a high school education would get you far and college was a huge bonus.