Oxford school officials will vote Jan. 26 on whether to approve kindergarten curriculum that would not only create an all-day format, but offer foreign-language lessons in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
The latter, according to Oxford Schools Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Jim Schwarz, is a first among schools in Oakland County.
Schwarz said he expects the curriculum proposal to pass.
‘I believe our Board of Education is excited about the opportunities this brings to our students,? he said.
The proposed changes would result in kindergarten all day for five days a week, as it is for first through fifth grades. Currently, the kindergarten students attend all-day alternating days. This gives them a week’s worth of instruction in half a week.
According to Schwarz, the state of Michigan has mandated the implementation of All Day Everyday Kindergarten beginning with a phase-in starting in fall 2010.
‘We have had quite a bit of demand from our families to offer such a program as well as from prospective families looking to move into the neighborhood, and with the current legislation going into effect, it seems to be the perfect time,? Schwarz explained.
The idea, he added, is to provide a ‘more relaxed kindergarten environment? and provide ‘more developmentally appropriate? curriculum pacing. This will allow the school day to focus on the students who need additional help.
Also, there will be a world language component that will follow the children through the fifth grade along with providing an option for instrumental strings training.
The language enrichment will consist of 45 minutes of instruction daily with the languages being introduced through art projects, calendar activities and English instruction reinforcement.
‘It is a standards-based, proficiency-oriented language program,? Schwarz explained. ‘The main goal is to afford our children the opportunity to become bilingual upon graduation from high school in a world language. More specific detail on this will evolve as we move nearer to the implementation.?
The assistant superintendent said Oxford is unique among Oakland County schools in offering world language training in their kindergarten programs.
‘No other district in our county, and possibly in the state, has a goal for all children to have the opportunity to become bilingual in a language by graduation,? he said. ‘Districts that have had elementary foreign language programs have been cutting that experience from their curriculum to save costs in these economic times. We have chosen to expand on this opportunity for our children.?