Explore Full-Day Pre-K
The agenda of Tuesday night’s meeting of the East Hampton School Board focused on whether to expand the district’s prekindergarten program from a half day to a full day, and on forthcoming budget work sessions, which the board vowed to have televised despite added expense.
The matter of expanding the half-day pre-K program has been discussed several times over the past year, with the added cost weighed against budgetary constraints. On Tuesday, the board announced that it had decided to seek competitive bids from organizations for a full-day program.
“We really see the need for the full-day program and if we can afford it, the benefits certainly speak for themselves,” Richard Burns, the district superintendent, said. He explained that a formal request for proposals, now in draft form, would explore pricing for both half and full-day programs, including costs of programs within the district or off-site. Mr. Burns set a deadline of mid-January for bids.
The district now contracts for a half-day program for 4-year-olds at the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, which is adjacent to the John M. Marshall Elementary School. Montauk runs a full-day pre-K for 4-year-olds and Bridgehampton and Amagansett offer full-day programs for 3 as well as 4-year-olds. Figures for what the program costs the district were not immediately available.
Anticipating the line-by-line budget work sessions, which will begin on Jan. 27, the board agreed to cover the anticipated $1,400 cost of having them broadcast. LTV now records the board’s twice-monthly meetings at no cost to the district, but the agreement does not extend to budget work sessions. At its Nov. 18 meeting the board had said it would welcome local businesses or individuals interested in covering the added expense but apparently none have come forward.
In other news, the board approved a seventh and eighth-grade foreign language field trip for 40 students to Montreal and Quebec from Feb. 5 to 8 at an estimated cost of $829 per student, with costs to be subsidized by individual fund-raising.
Ashley Pite and Nancy McMullan were approved as replacements for teachers on leave, each at a per diem rate of $262, and Wendy Albrecht was appointed senior clerk typist for a probationary period of 12 weeks at an annual salary of $53,460.
The board also accepted donations of young adult books for the East Hampton Middle School from Kathleen Doherty, publisher of the children’s and young adult division of Tom Doherty Associates, and a large Meade Autostar III telescope from Alan Weinschel.
Before adjourning, Adam Fine, the principal of East Hampton High School, said an anonymous donor had approached him with the possibility of supplying lights for the school’s athletic field. Mr. Burns said the issue would be tackled at a future meeting.
The board also acknowledged student athletes in golf, volleyball, soccer, and cross-country for various honors.
The board will convene next on Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m.