BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE - The township's school district aims to start up its own early-childhood education program.

Assistant Superintendent Mary Ann Donahue gave a PowerPoint presentation at the May 22 Millstone Township Board of Education meeting about the feasibility of having prekindergarten and all-day kindergarten classes.

The projected first-year total cost of both programs would amount to $498,718. The programs would cost a total of $440,852 during subsequent years, according to Donahue.

The district's Early Childhood Education Committee has been working on creating an early-childhood education program since 2003, according to Donahue.

In 2003-04, the district identified its needs and past best practices in early-childhood education. In 2004-05, the district produced a mission statement and goals for an early-childhood education program in township schools.

According to its mission statement, the district's early-childhood education program would provide a child-centered, nurturing environment that fosters self-esteem, respect and creativity while addressing the intellectual, social, emotional and physical development of each child.

The program also intends to provide a quality education for preschool students through a variety of experiences in a cooperative, creative, hands-on and innovative environment, according to the mission statement.

According to Donahue, district staff members visited several existing early-childhood education programs in the state, and developed recommendations and a timeline for implementation for the Board of Education.

Last year, the district formed its preschool and kindergarten subcommittees, she said.

The Preschool Program Committee consists of Jennifer Langlais, an elementary school teacher of the handicapped; Patricia Marzzullo, a speech/language therapist; Karen Walsh and Stephanie Prudente, both middle school teachers; Linda Russell, a preschool handicapped teacher; and Yvonne Warschawski, an elementary school teacher.

The Kindergarten Program Committee includes first-grade teachers Nina Banerjee and Colleen Henkin; kindergarten teachers Joan Napoliello and Jill Tobey; parents Barbara Ann Noon and Denise Touhey; elementary school teacher Libby Vona; and Patricia Prevosti, an elementary/middle school teacher of the handicapped.

The committees reviewed current research and examined the feasibility of multiple classes. They discussed appropriate class size and established certified staff and support staff needs. They also

identified physical needs and created a proposal for student selection, according to Donahue.

According to the Preschool Committee report, preschool would begin during the 2007-08 school year in Millstone Township Elementary School. The committee estimated preliminary total costs of the preschool program at $119,264 for the first year and $103,764 during subsequent years.

The district would have to hire one teacher at $58,800 for salary and benefits. Two aides for the program would cost $69,044 for salaries and benefits. In addition, the district would have to hire a speech/language specialist, who would work four hours per week, at $14,400; and an occupational therapist, who would work four hours a week as well, at $11,520. Other costs would include furniture at $7,000, and instructional and teacher materials at $8,500, according to the committee's report.

The committee estimated that the preschool program would bring in $250 every month for each of the 20 students. The 10-month program would bring in a total revenue of $50,000.

The preschool class would be held 2.5 hours a day, five days a week. The morning session would run from 8:55 to 11:30 a.m., according to the committee, and the afternoon session would run from 12:55 to 3:35 p.m.

The district would provide transportation to disabled preschool students.

The preschool program's teacher would have dual certification in early-childhood and special education. The student-to-staff ratio would be 5:1, according to the committee's report.

Students would be admitted to the program through a lottery. All those applicants chosen from the lottery would undergo screening. The district would keep a waiting list of five students at all times.

Full-day kindergarten would also begin in the 2007-08 school year in the elementary school.

The district already has four full-time kindergarten teachers and one part-time teacher. For the full-day program, the district would make the part-time position a full-time one, and hire three additional teachers at a cost of approximately $199,000 for salaries and benefits, according to the Kindergarten Committee's report.

The district would also hire four classroom aides for the full-day kindergarten program at a cost of approximately $138,088 for salaries and benefits. Other costs would include furniture at $15,000, and instructional resources such as curriculum materials at a total cost of $27,366, according to the report.

The committee estimated the total initial cost of the full-day kindergarten program at $379,454, with a cost of $337,088 for each successive year.

Students in the full-day kindergarten program would begin and end class at the same time as other grades in the building, with student transportation available, according to the committee.

According to the Kindergarten Committee report, the full-day program will have eight teachers. The committee recommended that the program have four full-time aides. Each class would have approximately 16 students.

Special services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy would be provided in the kindergarten program.

A typical day in the full-day program would include morning routines, academics, lunch and recess, rest time, social play and arts, according to the committee's report.