Ypsilanti to provide math-focused morning class for kindergarten, 1st grade
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Parents who were concerned about the new, later bell times for their Ypsilanti elementary children will have one new option for filling that space before school starts.
Ypsilanti Public Schools will offer a morning enrichment program for kindergarten and first-grade students, Superintendent Dedrick Martin announced in an email Thursday.
Students complete a math problem at Estabrook Elementary School in Ypsilanti. A new morning enrichment class, with a focus on mathematics, will be offered to select Ypsilanti students beginning Sept. 10.
File photo
Start times were changed throughout the district by anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes to generate a $500,000 savings in transportation. The new times allow Ypsilanti to have fewer buses on the roads, officials said, but those buses will make more runs before returning to the garage.
Martin said it was determined math would be the focus of the morning enrichment program after a presentation Monday from Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Martin and the district's instructional team, which showed Ypsilanti students are far below the mark in math.
Jennifer Martin reported on Ypsilanti's achievement gap and its plans for improving students' test scores, especially in the district’s African American and economically disadvantaged subgroups.
Last year, 10 percent of all Ypsilanti third-graders scored proficient in math on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program exam.
The morning enrichment classes at Perry and Adams have limited spots available. Perry will accept 60 pupils in kindergarten and 40 in first grade. Adams will have 15 spots open in both grades.
The enrichment class will start on Sept. 10 and run until May 24, 2013. Attendance is mandatory. Dedrick Martin said students exceeding three absences or five tardies will be removed from the program.
Parents will be responsible for transporting their kids to the enrichment class. Buses will not be provided. Children in the enrichment program will be served breakfast following the class alongside their peers.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
A2anon
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 11:51 p.m.
Oh good grief. They're in kindergarten! Let them PLAY. We have gotten so ridiculous in our educational system, all this testing-based achievement garbage. In kindergarten, they should be playing. Preferably outdoors.
AMOC
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 : 6:17 p.m.
At the kindergarten and 1st grade levels, the best ways of teaching math almost all do involve play. They should play counting games, adding games, card games that require sorting into suits and sequences, all sorts of games. Also building with blocks, larger Legos, clay, etc. And measuring, mixing and "slicing" things. Playing "store", where they have to fill a list, then add up the prices. Or "restaurant". Or ... For much of the school year, students won't be able to play outside, but they should always be able to play with cards, dice, or board games.
Dog Guy
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.
To paraphrase what Joyce Cary wrote in his novel The Horse's Mouth, "The only good school system is a bad school system in a hell of a fright." I look forward to other good decisions by Dedrick Martin and YPS.
cinnabar7071
Thu, Aug 30, 2012 : 11:22 p.m.
So they decided to start teaching the kids? Some ones going to get a bonus over that idea.