Michigan school district embraces full-time kindergarten options

Parents who plan on enrolling their children in one of the Brighton Area Schools' kindergarten programs when they are the appropriate age will soon have a different set of options. According to a recent letter from Greg Gray, the Michigan school district's superintendent, the 2013-2014 academic year will see the elimination of half-day kindergarten and the introduction of a full-day alternative.

In addition to all-day kindergarten, the district will also provide full-day junior kindergarten. Michigan's adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards is just one reason why district officials made the decision to transition from a half-day program to one that lasts for a full school day.

"From a curriculum standpoint, with the Common Core, new math and ELA Standards being implemented next year, I think it would be irresponsible for us not to have these kids in there all day," Laura Surrey, Brighton's assistant superintendent of instruction, told Brighton, Michigan's Patch website.

In his letter, Gray said that spending more time in junior kindergarten will help children become more independent as they develop stronger social, emotional, literacy and numeracy skills.