Medford, Ore. – Kindergarten classes across the Rogue Valley began on Monday, with all-day classes. The change in classroom time comes after the State of Oregon mandated that kindergarten classes be full-day schedules last year.
Teachers say it gives students more time to do activities like art, music, media, and P.E., while still allowing enough classroom time to work on state-mandated goals.
“Now they’re going to have time to just absorb everything, let it sink in, and when it sinks in, it sticks,” said Howard Elementary kindergarten teacher Gloria Robertson.
Students at Howard begin at 7:50 in the morning, when kids are dropped off at the cafeteria for breakfast. They are then escorted to the classroom, until 2:30 PM when parents can pick them up.
Howard, Washington, and Roosevelt Elementary schools also have an after school program, where parents can pick up their kids at 5:30 PM.
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