Parent presses Abington Heights to explore full-day kindergarten; superintendent says district is studying costs and space

At the Oct. 8 meeting, parent Amy Burge told the board she and other parents are interested in full-day kindergarten and attended to show continued support for the idea.

"I'm a parent of a first grader and a 3 year old in the district with a dream of whole day kindergarten," Burge said, and added that she had come to show a presence so the board would consider the matter.

Superintendent Doctor Schaffer responded that the district is continuing to explore full-day kindergarten. He said exploration includes calculating the full costs — not only teachers and curriculum but also the number of students (using live-birth rates), and whether current facilities would require additions to support full-day programming.

"I have been and will continue to gather as much information as I can relative to the cost of it," Schaffer said. He encouraged parents to continue organizing and noted district staff are evaluating enrollment projections and facility capacity.

The board did not vote or set a timeline at the meeting; Schaffer described the work as an ongoing feasibility review rather than a formal proposal.