The early childhood design team has proposed several key changes to enhance learning and better meet the needs of our youngest students.

First, they recommend increasing planning and collaboration time to allow teachers to innovate and design instruction that aligns with early childhood standards and addresses each student’s unique needs.

Second, the team proposes tailoring instruction to students’ developmental stages by differentiating attendance times based on age level, ensuring that each child receives the appropriate support and opportunities for growth.

Finally, they emphasize the importance of play-based preparation for kindergarten to help children transitioning from early childhood programs develop the skills and confidence they need for success in kindergarten.

The proposed schedule for early childhood introduces significant improvements to better meet the developmental needs of our students while supporting our educators' ability to plan and collaborate.

Under this proposal, 3-year-olds would attend only in the morning for a slightly shorter session of 2 hours, and 4- to 5-year-olds would attend in the afternoon for the same 2.5-hour session as before. This change allows for tailored instruction aligned with each age groups’ developmental needs.

Similar to our current structure, on Mondays, only students requiring additional supports would attend for targeted interventions, ensuring they receive the focused help they need. Additionally, on Friday mornings, 3-year-olds would not attend, giving educators the time to conduct home visits, provide community events, and collaborate with colleagues.

This schedule also allows educators to have 55 minutes of daily planning time—a significant increase—enabling them to design innovative and individualized instruction for every student.