FREEHOLD ANNOUNCES NEW FIRST GRADE TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM

The Freehold Borough K-8 School District has announced a new program for the 2012-12 school year.  It is a transitional first grade program that is geared for children who have left kindergarten but are not ready to succeed in first grade.  These students will have the opportunity to enroll in the transitional first grade.  The school district is also considering implementing a developmental kindergarten program as well, but the transitional first grade is the priority for now.

The new program is an extra year of school between kindergarten and first grade and will accommodate students who are immature or late in developing certain elementary school skills.  Elizabeth O'Connell, the principal of the Freehold Learning Center presented the information to the Board of Education on February 27, 2012.  O'Connell explained that this new program is needed to due to the lack of available academic preschool for the children.  The district no longer offers a full-day academic preschool and therefore parents are making other arrangements for their children that may not include an educational component.  The transitional first grade program will hopefully help children who come out of kindergarten but who are still not performing at al level required for first grade and for children who have completed kindergarten but who would benefit from an additional year of academic development prior to first grade.  Upon the completion of the transitional first grade, the children will then enter into the first grade.  

The School District is optimistic that this new program will provide the children with a solid foundation and background knowledge to be successful by the time they reach the third grade.