Published: May 13, 2009 10:43 pm      

All-day kindergarten on Southeastern agenda

Funding issues may lead to it being cut

Want to go?

What: Southeastern School Board meeting

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Board conference room, Lewis Cass High School. Those wishing to attend should use the front entrance to the school.



The future of all-day kindergarten will be considered at today’s meeting of the Southeastern School Board.

Superintendent John Bevan plans to ask that the program be cut because of funding problems.

“Due to the tightness of the state budget, we’re seeing a shortage of funds,” he said Wednesday. “We need to cut and because of the lack of funds, we have to discontinue the program.

“When financial times are tough, there are a lot of good worthwhile things that you have to look at and say ‘can I afford do that anymore?’ We hope to bring it back when funds are available.”

As Bevan noted, Southeastern’s 2009 budget has yet to be approved.

“I don’t know if the budget I have and am spending money on is valid,” he said. “I don’t know when it will get approved” by the state Department of Local Government Finance.

All-day kindergarten is not a program Bevan wants to discontinue.

The program is run at both Thompson and Galveston elementary schools. Half of Southeastern’s kindergartners are in full-day kindergarten.

“It’s a valuable program,” he said. “It’s worthwhile and good for the kids. We use it as a program for kids who are not ready to start kindergarten. All-day kindergarten gives them a double dose. It allows us to put those children with teachers who are in tune with helping them and giving them a good solid start.”

Also on the agenda is a progress report on the corporation’s building project and the results of an infrared scan of the roofs of Galveston Elementary and Lewis Cass High School. The board will also be updated on an audit of the corporation’s technology infrastructure.

• John Dempsey is the associate editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He may be contacted at (574) 732-5150 or by e-mail at john.dempsey@pharostribune.com