Haddonfield, one of 10 N.J. districts only offering half-day kindergarten, prepares to go full-day

From the moment Kathleen Woods’ afternoon kindergartners step into her classroom, learning begins.

The half-day session at J. Fithian Tatem Elementary School is packed with activities to engage youngsters, including circle time, Spanish, reading, and math. With just under three hours to get it all in, Woods makes every moment count.

“This is my favorite age to teach,” said Woods, an educator for more than two decades. “I just love kindergarten.”

With about 148 students enrolled in its three elementary schools, Haddonfield is among only 10 districts in New Jersey that only offer half-day kindergarten. But beginning in September, Haddonfield plans to add a full-day section to each school, eventually expanding all kindergarten classes by the 2027-28 school year.

“We think it’s going to be great for our kids,” said Superintendent Chuck Klaus. “We expect to see benefits for our students.”

Haddonfield has started accepting applications for 75 full-day spots for students who will be 5 by Oct. 1. A waitlist is expected, and there will be a $7,500 tuition fee, Klaus said.

In his State of the State address last month, Gov. Phil Murphy pledged to mandate that all of New Jersey’s more than 600 public school systems offer free, full-day kindergarten. His proposal would require action by the state Legislature. Murphy also wants to require free preschool.

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Currently, kindergarten is not mandatory in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. In the rest of the country, 16 states and the District of Columbia require districts to offer full-day kindergarten, according to the Education Commission of the States.

Moorestown in Burlington County is the only other South Jersey district that offers half-day kindergarten, with 11 students attending — although Moorestown does offer a tuition-based, extended-day option for 233 students who pay $4,200 annually.

Moorestown Superintendent Courtney McNeely said her district lacks classroom space to expand its kindergarten program. Kindergarten classes can enroll a maximum of 25 students, and the classrooms must be equipped with a bathroom.

“Moorestown has long had the desire to add full-day kindergarten,” McNeely said. “There’s just not a quick solution for the space we need.”

Moorestown plans to ask voters in September to approve a bond referendum to finance construction projects to accommodate free, full-day kindergarten at its three elementary schools, McNeely said. The shift would also require the district to reconfigure grade levels to make room, she said.

If voters approve the bond referendum, the renovations needed could take up to three years to complete, McNeely said.

Experts say kindergarten is important because students learn basic concepts such as letters and numbers, as well as how to get along with others. It also helps develop social, emotional and academic skills and boosts confidence.

“It’s just a natural direction to have full-day kindergarten,” said Zeynep Isik-Ercan, chairman of the Department of Early Childhood Education at Rowan University. “The stakes are higher now.”

Isik-Ercan cautioned against placing too much emphasis on academics for kindergartners. Young children learn better through playful opportunities that allow them to engage with peers, she said.

Klaus said Haddonfield began working on transitioning to a full-day program before Murphy’s announcement. A $46.7 million bond referendum approved by voters in December will enable the district to implement full-day kindergarten districtwide, but it will take several years to construct new classrooms to implement.

At Tatem Elementary, the afternoon session began promptly at 12:15 p.m. and Woods quickly settled her students down for circle time. Sitting on the floor, they practiced speaking and listening skills. Woods asked each of them to share a highlight from their weekend.

“Why is it Magnificent Monday?” Woods asked.

Several hands shot up. One boy answered, “The Eagles won the Super Bowl!”

After everyone got a turn to share, Woods got the class up and moving. They jumped, clapped, jogged in place with their arms swirling, and called out letters and numbers as an interactive video played on a big screen.

When Spanish teacher Luis Bayona arrived a short time later for a 30-minute lesson, the class yelled, “Hola!” Classes like Spanish, music and art are offered every six days. Social studies and science are incorporated into other subjects.

“They are really like little sponges,” said principal Donnetta Beatty. “This is when you can get the kids to really love learning.”

Standing in front of Bayona, the students counted, read and sang in Spanish. He accompanied them on guitar.

“You guys are learning how to read a lot,” Bayona said of their progress, giving them high fives.

As the time wound down, the students moved to learning centers where they sat in small groups with Woods or another teacher for reading and math lessons. After snacks and recess, the class has a closing activity to end the day, typically storytelling, a song, or a poem.

“We try to get it all in,” Woods said.

The full-day kindergarten classes will look different with more instruction time, the equivalent of an additional 71 school days, according to the district. Students would get more time for math, social studies, science, and literacy lessons, as well as structured playtime.