Abington Heights parents press board to adopt full‑day kindergarten; board agrees to study feasibility

Three parents and educators urged the Abington Heights School Board on Oct. 22 to add full‑day kindergarten now rather than defer it, saying classroom additions should be integrated into ongoing facility projects to reduce cost and improve equity.

"Deferring the implementation of a full day kindergarten program is a short sighted approach," said Ryan Griffiths, a South Abington Township resident, parent and public educator. "If full day kindergarten is, as the board has suggested and I'm sure is committed to, an eventual goal, then addressing the necessary classroom additions or modifications now during these, already planned facility overhauls will be less expensive than initiating a second separate construction core."

The comments came during the public‑comment period. Catherine "Katie" Garrity, a Clarks Summit resident and parent, described children who struggled moving from a half‑day to a full‑day schedule and said the district should offer the developmental benefits she has seen in other nearby districts. "That fragmented kindergarten day does not equal out to the full day of kindergarten," she said.

Caitlin Keim, a Clark Summit resident, parent and educator, pressed the board to reframe budget talk from "we can't afford it" to "what do we choose to afford," saying the district’s half‑day schedule is "out of step with what our students and families need."

Board members and Superintendent Dr. Christopher L. Schaeffer responded that the district has been "exploring" full‑day kindergarten for several years but that significant fiscal and physical constraints make it a multi‑year decision. Dr. Schaeffer said the district would need roughly six to seven additional teachers and estimated recurring personnel costs "in the ballpark of $750,000" a year to operate a full‑day program, not including necessary classroom additions or modular classroom solutions.

"When I say we're exploring this...we will talk more about this in the spring," Dr. Schaeffer said, adding that implementation could require a long runway to avoid sudden changes for existing teachers and community providers. Several board members stressed the district's current facilities capacity, noting the middle school project already underway and the high per‑square‑foot cost of new construction compared with past years.

Board members proposed next steps focused on analysis rather than an immediate vote. They agreed to: commission or review academic research on the efficacy and duration of full‑day kindergarten benefits; examine capacity and construction cost scenarios (additions, trailers, or repurposing space); estimate recurring staffing and operating costs; and schedule a focused discussion at an upcoming board planning session or retreat.

The board did not take formal action to adopt full‑day kindergarten at the meeting.

Community members and multiple board members said they would continue advocacy and engagement as the district incorporates the issue into broader facilities priorities.