‘Exciting times’ as school district plans for launch of all-day K

Schools may be in summer recess, but Johnston Superintendent Dr. Bernard DiLullo and others are working hard to prepare for what promises to be one of the most exciting years in the district’s history.

Johnston Public Schools will begin the 2015-16 academic year with all-day kindergarten classes after the Town Council approved a budget with funding for the program, which DiLullo said “will offer approximately 260 children a state-of-the-art learning experience in a number of areas.”

“These are exciting times for the school district,” DiLullo said Tuesday while announcing that Julie-Anne Zarrella – formerly assistant principal at Johnston High School – has been named principal of the Early Childhood Center (ECC), located at 10 Memorial Drive in the Nicholas A. Ferri Middle School complex.

DiLullo also announced Jill Souza, who is in her third year as principal at Sarah Dyer Barnes Elementary School, will head the kindergarten program located in her school at 24 Barnes Ave.

The superintendent additionally announced 10 kindergarten classrooms will be located at the ECC, with another two at Barnes.

“The kindergarten students will have a 330-minute day [5-1/2 hours] exclusive of lunch and recess,” DiLullo said, and “the curriculum will include literacy, math, science, social studies, and technology integration, with a focus on reading, music, physical education and art.”

Zarrella, who despite being in a different building will work closely with Souza, emphasized during Tuesday’s planning meeting at the Central Office: “We’re going to have a great kindergarten program, one we’re hoping to make a model for the whole state of Rhode Island.”

DiLullo, meanwhile, explained that registration for kindergarten classes – which are scheduled to begin Sept. 3 – will be held Aug. 11 and Aug. 20 at Johnston’s George C. Calef Elementary School, located at 7 Waveland Ave. off Killingly Street.

While registration will begin on those two dates at 8:30 a.m., parents who intend to enroll their children in this year’s kindergarten program must call for an appointment at 401-233-0054 and talk to Tina Broduer, the secretary at the ECC. Parents need to apply by Aug. 7.

Also, parents must have all necessary paperwork – including proof of residency – when they register their children for kindergarten classes. DiLullo said those forms may be downloaded from the Johnston Public Schools website, www.johnstonschools.org.

For further information, call 233-0054.