Washington board gives nod to all-day kindergarten

3/22/2001

Final approval of all-day, every-day kindergarten at Hiawatha Elementary School next year was granted last night by the board of education of Washington Local Schools.

Mike Carmean, superintendent, said half-day kindergarten classes will be eliminated at the district's other elementary schools. The other eight elementary schools in the district will have all-day kindergarten on alternating days.

Hiawatha, 3020 Photos Dr., will be a test of the all-day, every day kindergarten concept for the district because Hiawatha's enrollment has remained steady at about 300 pupils, making it easier to judge results, the superintendent said.

The board was told that negotiations with the 441-member Teachers Association of Washington Local Schools have begun in an effort to reach a new contract covering teachers, guidance counselors, deans, and school psychologists, Mr. Carmean. The current one-year labor agreement between TAWLS and the school district runs out on June 30.

The school board also approved spending $367,071 to replace the roof on the district's Career Technologies Center, $90,000 to refurbish the Whitmer High School running track, $149,500 for the Whitmer gym floor, $71,400 for the Jefferson gym floor, $42,894 for doors at Hiawatha, $24,150 for a sanitary sewer at Shoreland, and $57,000 for a vehicle storage building.