Indian Mills school readies for new year

Indian Mills Elementary School is about to enter its second year of full-day kindergarten.

In Principal Nicole Moore’s past 11 years, she has seen achievement, but last year reached new heights from her full-day kindergarteners, who exceeded academically and socially far beyond any other class with which she has worked.

“The teachers had the opportunity to make sure the students were academically ready for first grade because it was a full-day program,” Moore said.

The kindergarteners are truly integrated in the school; they have recess, lunch, Spanish, art, music and P.E., according to Moore. There is no longer a separate kindergarten school bus.

“There are smaller numbers of enrollment this year, but the district has maintained the same amount of staffing,” Moore said.

The average class size last year was 21 to 23 students. This year, the average class is fewer than 20. There are no assistant teachers in the classroom.

“It’s a bonus to the students. There is so much more that you can do with the students when there is a smaller class size,” Moore said.

Moving forward, Moore plans to meet and exceed the results of the kindergarteners who just completed their first year in the program.

“I would like to instill a lifetime of love of learning and school in the children,” Moore said.

“A full-day kindergarten program provides crucial opportunities for children to build upon previous experiences that sustain the development of their cognitive, social and emotional skills,” Superintendent Christine Vespe said. “The Shamong Township School District is very excited to begin their second year offering a full-day kindergarten program for the district children.”

Christine Webb’s son, Christopher, just completed the full-day kindergarten at Indian Mills Elementary School.

Webb’s two older children attended the half-day program, and she said she can see a difference in Christopher’s reading ability through the time that was spent in the classroom, attributing it to the full-day kindergarten.

“Christopher did great through the full-day program,” Webb said.

Socially and emotionally, Christopher felt more a part of the school because of the specials that were offered, according to Webb.

“The teachers are really strong, dedicated and talented,” she said.

“I’m excited to come back,” said Pam Girgenti, kindergarten teacher with Indian Mills Elementary School.

Girgenti is excited to see how the second year will turn out. There was tremendous growth when comparing the half-day program to the full-day program, she said. There was a significant change to the kindergarteners’ social and academic skills, and Girgenti attributes this to the kindergarteners’ access to specials.

“They did so much more than they did in the half-day program,” Girgenti said. “I really got to know my kindergarteners.”

The kindergarteners are required to be reading at level four on the Developmental Reading Assessment, according to Girgenti. The DRA is an individually administered assessment of a child’s reading capabilities. Most of the kindergarteners at Indian Mills Elementary School exceeded the required reading level.

Rachel Amendola’s son, James, was so excited to go to school every day, she said.

“He learned so very much because the extended day allowed him to,” Amendola said. “The Shamong kindergarten teachers know and understand the

true balance of learning and fun, and embedded each day with both.”

Stefanie Pickard’s son, Grayson, attended Indian Mills Elementary School for full-day kindergarten.

“I was so nervous he was going into full-day kindergarten, but it only took a couple of weeks for him to adjust, and he loved it,” Pickard said. “Starting first grade, he will be that much more along. I am proud that the Shamong Township School District has made the decision to bring a full-day kindergarten to the town.”