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PARK CITY — Busy kindergartners inspected soil and got their hands dirty for science class — but most impressively, they did it in mid-July.
While most schools are off for summer break, McPolin Elementary in Park City offers full-day summer school.
"We recognize the need," said principal Bob Edmiston.
Park City School District already offers additional programs to help students who need to catch up, but administrators are about to take drastic measures.
"We know that we have to minimize that academic achievement gap," said PCSD Superintendent Ember Conley. "And all-day kindergarten is the best way to do that."
Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, every elementary will offer all-day kindergarten and high-quality preschool.
"What we're seeing is kids coming to us without any preschool, without any education background," said Tom VanGorder, associate superintendent. "They're starting at such a disadvantage."
To accommodate the flood of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, they'll change the structure of elementary schools from K-6 to P-4. Those changes at the bottom will require an overhaul in the district's school configuration.
We know that we have to minimize that academic achievement gap. And all-day kindergarten is the best way to do that.
–PCSD Superintendent Ember Conley
PCSD is part of the "Pay For Success" program recently lauded by Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch during recent education reform debate.
Park City and Granite districts work with public and private partners to fund programs that hinge on the ability to demonstrate results.
Principal Bob Edmiston is confident they will not only reduce the achievement gap but that they'll save money in remediation.
"Research is all too clear, if we don't catch them up by third-grade, we're playing catch-up the rest of the way," he said.
In the meantime, kindergartners will continue spending their summer focused on academics in the hope they'll be ready when school starts.
