After initiating full-day kindergarten at the start of this school term, Parkland School District officials report the program has been well-accepted by everyone involved.

Kelly Rosario, director of curriculum, instruction and professional development, presented comments at the Nov. 15 school board meeting.

“Implementation is wonderful. Learners, parents, teachers, and administrators are happy,” Rosario said.

Teachers who were present spoke of the benefits of having a full day for instruction as well as purposeful play.

With children at school all day, an entire hour is devoted to math instruction and math activities.

The teachers report students are already becoming readers and writers.

Large classroom size books are used for group reading direction, then children receive a small copy of the same book to read independently at their desks.

Rosario said she hopes the board is also pleased with the program.

“The decision for full-day kindergarten was obviously the right one,” said board President David Kennedy

Tracy Smith, assistant to the superintendent for operations, explained the Parkland Ready 21 Initiative.

She said the trend is away from a lecture mode to a practice in which children have a choice in their own learning.

“We want to have students who are highly invested and transformed by their learning experience,” Smith said.

She noted communication, collaboration and creativity are hallmarks of the program.

Sam Edwards, media specialist at Fogelsville Elementary School, said the initiative uses the Schoology program which enables children to build mastery by earning badges.

She stated students are highly motivated and involved in making movies, doing 3-D printing, and working with robots.

In another new enterprise, high school Principal James Moniz reported on a partnership program the district has with Lehigh Carbon Community College for students interested in becoming pilots.

From 6-9 p.m. one night per week, students receive instruction and on-site experience at Lehigh Valley International Airport. Upon completion of the course, they receive three college credits.