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District proposes inclusive preschool model at Hiawatha to expand early‑childhood access
Summary
District staff proposed reorganizing Hiawatha’s preschool into an inclusive AM/PM model to blend at‑risk and special‑education students, increasing capacity and aligning preschool services with the rest of the building. Administrators said the change would require staff reassignments and has budget implications but meets evolving state reporting expectations.
The district’s administration proposed restructuring preschool at Hiawatha Elementary into a more inclusive early‑intervention model that would blend at‑risk and special‑education students rather than keep them in separate rooms.
Danielle, who led the presentation to the board, said the district currently serves 54 preschool students across one at‑risk classroom (29 students) and two special‑education sections (a total of 25 students). She said the plan would move to two at‑risk preschool classrooms operating AM and PM, allow certified teachers with unified elementary/special‑education credentials to provide both general and special‑education instruction, and increase capacity for at‑risk children. "We would like to expand our current preschool structure to make a more inclusive early intervention that is similar to the rest of our building," Danielle said.
Kendall Runner, identified in the presentation as the IRC teacher for preschool, said the revised model would let her "push into the classrooms to provide support but also pull small groups out," mirroring how other grades are served. Administrators said the approach supports peer modeling, improves kindergarten readiness and attendance, and responds to state and federal reporting changes. "The state and federal government also... strongly advise us right now," Mr. West said when asked about compliance and reporting implications.
Staffing shifts discussed as part of the proposal include retaining Courtney Torlson and her paraprofessional in one classroom and moving Ashlin Strauss from a 6:15 assignment to a 4:15 atrisk classroom with a paraprofessional. Administrators acknowledged budget implications: the district currently pays 60 percent of Strauss’s 6:15 assignment and would cover 100 percent of the new assignment, increasing district labor costs. The board asked for clarification about how preschool attendance counts into FTE calculations; presenters said preschool students are now counted as 0.5 FTE in many cases and that coding has changed over time.
The presenters said the reorganization would allow the district to serve more at‑risk students (administrators estimated the at‑risk classrooms could serve up to 48 at‑risk students) and to accommodate roughly 11 students expected to transition from Tiny K (in‑home early services). They stressed that the inclusive model reflects best practices and a grant requirement that asks whether preschool instruction is delivered inclusively.
No formal vote on the structural change was recorded during the meeting. The board was given the plan for discussion and asked to consider next steps and budget effects before any final action.
