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School committee approves new preschool schedule and $8.50/hour extended‑day rate
Summary
After a staff-led design process, the committee approved extended preschool hours to align with K–1 schedules and set an $8.50/hour community‑service extension rate; the plan adds integrated seats and formalizes social‑learning and substantially separate models.
Tewksbury school administrators and preschool teachers presented a staff‑led proposal March 11 to restructure preschool scheduling, expand integrated seats and formalize a social‑learning model. The school committee voted to approve the schedule change and to set extended‑day tuition at $8.50 per hour.
The plan, developed by preschool teachers working with building principals and district administrators, aims to give four‑year‑old students a longer morning session (proposed three hours five days a week) to better prepare them for a full‑day kindergarten transition. Three‑year‑old students would attend two hours per day Monday–Thursday, with Friday set aside to balance staffing and family preferences. The restructured arrival and dismissal times also align preschool vans with K–1 arrival (approximately 8:50 a.m.) and dismissal (approximately 3:10 p.m.).
Nut graf: Committee members said the changes are intended to improve inclusion, support better transitions to kindergarten and create space for more tuition‑paying integrated placements while keeping the district’s integrated and substantially separate options for children with higher needs.
Program models and capacity Administrators described three classroom models: fully integrated classrooms for mixed‑ability groups (up to 15 students, with a typical split of special‑education seats and tuition seats); a social‑learning group that runs integrated mornings and small‑group/ABA‑style afternoons; and a substantially separate classroom for students needing intensive instruction. The Doing School was described as carrying a larger share of preschool enrollment; the proposal keeps the total number of preschool classrooms stable districtwide while shifting how seats are allocated, adding roughly eight additional tuition slots at each school through a converted classroom model.
Funding and community‑service extension The community‑service extension (extended‑day) program is self‑funded and requires no district operating subsidy. Administration modeled two hourly rates ($8.00 and $8.50) and recommended $8.50 per hour as fiscally responsible while remaining competitive with area programs. Under the $8.50/hour model, example monthly charges presented were: a four‑year‑old attending integrated mornings only, $435/month; with the full extended day included, $995/month. For three‑year‑olds the modeled monthly figures were roughly $245 (integrated morning) and $795 (with extended day) given the Monday–Thursday schedule.
Registration and next steps If approved, registration steps will begin immediately. The administration planned an email to existing three‑year‑old families and priority re‑registration, a public information session at the library, and a Community Pass registration opening in early April. Building principals and preschool staff will track enrollment and implementation through the school year and report back to the committee.
Committee action The school committee approved the revised preschool day (new start/stop times aligning with K–1) by voice/roll‑call vote and approved the $8.50/hour extended‑day tuition rate by roll‑call vote; both motions passed unanimously.
Ending Administrators and preschool staff told the committee they will monitor enrollment, program operations and space needs, and return with updates. Community‑service extension revenue projections and a small operating cushion were presented as part of the staffing and sustainability analysis.
