By next fall, all kindergarteners in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District will have the same daily schedule as the rest of their schools.
PYLUSD officials announced recently that it will transition to full-day kindergarten at all 21 elementary sites beginning in 2020-21. The move scales up a successful pilot program that brought full-day kindergarten classes to Brookhaven, Glenknoll, Morse, Topaz and Woodsboro elementary schools this year.
The Tustin and Saddleback Valley unified school districts similarly adopted full-day kindergarten at all of their campuses in August.
“We are happy to report that our pilot program has been a very positive and beneficial experience,” PYLUSD Deputy Superintendent Candy Plahy said. “It focused on enriching our current half-day kindergarten program with extended time for learning in an academically appropriate environment.”
District officials say the shift is grounded in developmental research to ensure all students receive strong foundational instruction, as well as time to participate in enriched visual and performing arts activities.
Full-time kindergarten students essentially get more time to interact with others during purposeful play, physical education, computer lab instruction, library sessions, music and movement, art, hands-on science and other extended lessons.
“It is our strong belief that full-day kindergarten supports long-term educational gains for our students,” Plahy said. “By providing a solid, developmentally-appropriate foundation of learning, our full-day kindergarten program ensures all students’ academic, social and emotional success.”
Online registration for full-day kindergarten in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District begins in February. To learn more, visit www.pylusd.org/kindergarten, or contact the district’s Educational Services Department at 714-985-8650.