• Full Day Kindergarten - A Stronger Start

     
    Benefits of Full-Day Kindergarten:
    • Full-day kindergarten provides a more flexible, individualized learning environment.
      Full-day kindergarten students have more time in hands-on activities, which drives student achievement.
    • The full-day schedule allows more appropriate challenges for children at all developmental levels.
    • Several national studies have shown that children who participate in full day kindergarten are better prepared for first grade. National studies show that academic gains made in full day kindergarten remain in place though the intermediate grades. Brandywine School District data also supports this finding.
    • Full-day kindergarten students (in several large, national studies) have been shown to:
      • Have lower absenteeism rates
      • Have advanced social skills – more positive behavior, independent learning, involvement in classroom, and productivity with peers

      • Are less likely to be held back in elementary grades

    What can I expect from full day Kindergarten?

    • The schedule for full day kindergarten is the same as the schedule for grades 1-5. The doors open at 8:35, with the school day beginning at approximately 8:50 a.m.  Dismissal is at 3:35p.m.
    • Transportation will be provided at no cost for both full day and half day programs.
    • Students may also have breakfast and lunch and may qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. Parents may also opt to pack their child’s snack and lunch.
    • A typical day in full day kindergarten may include:
      • Social time to develop social interaction skills
      • English Language Arts, Math, Music, and Art instruction
      • Focus on literary skills to prepare students for learning to read
      • Physical Education
      • Individual and small group work
      • Lunch

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Full Day Kindergarten in Brandywine:

    How do I register for full-day kindergarten?
    Click here for registration details

    How do I know if my child is ready for full day kindergarten?
    Your child will automatically be scheduled for screening when you register for kindergarten. For additional information please call 302-793-5015.

    If my child has been at home and not in pre-school, is full day kindergarten too much too soon?
    Research shows that young children adapt very quickly to a full day of instruction and benefit from the extra time. However, some parents feel that their child may not be ready for a full day of kindergarten. The choice is up to parents, and the District will still offer half day programs at select schools as long as 18 students or more are enrolled.

    Where can I get more information about full-day kindergarten?
    For more information, please contact Kate Shinn at 793-5000.

    What do our teachers say about full-day kindergarten? 
    “What is expected of Kindergarten now cannot be accomplished in 2 ½ hours a day.” - Kristine Betts, Brandywine School District Kindergarten Teacher
     

    “As a former kindergarten teacher who taught half day, extended day kindergarten, and full day kindergarten, I have seen first hand how beneficial full day kindergarten is for all children. It benefits those children in need of extra time to master a standard, and challenges those students who have mastered the standards early. It should be viewed as more teaching time, not babysitting. As a working mother, and a teacher, my son will attend full day kindergarten because of all of the benefits full day kindergarten has to offer.” - Chrissy Kilpatrick, Brandywine School District Second Grade Teacher

    “There are a higher percentage of ½ day Kindergarten students requiring reading intervention in first grade, than those who attended full day kindergarten.” - Sharman Stephenson, Brandywine School District Reading Interventionist

    “As a full day kindergarten teacher in the field of early childhood for over 20 years, the benefits of the full day program are numerous.  Students have the opportunity to grow and develop in an environment that promotes discovery, creativity, peer relationships, along with the traditional academics that are required to be successful in reading, writing and math.  The full day program provides one of the most important assets we can give children: Time.

    "Time to learn new concepts, time to develop long lasting peer relationships, time to feel a part of a community, time to make a mistake and have the opportunity to learn how to do it right, time to enjoy learning, time to understand that the process is just (or more)  important as the product, time to really enjoy the love of learning.  It is impossible to compare the half-day and full day kindergarten programs.  It would be asking you to do your 8 hour job in 2 and 1\2 hours.  Imagine the things you have to put aside because there isn't enough time.” - Maureen Watson, former Brandywine School District Kindergarten Teacher