PORT ANGELES – The Port Angeles School Board voted Monday to drop the idea of all-day kindergarten for the next school year, to keep Stevens Middle School’s name and to approve new elementary school boundaries.
A proposal to have kindergarten in session all day was defeated by a vote of 2-3.
Nancy McLaughlin and Jeff Hinds approved the measure, but Charlie McClain, Cindy Kelly and Patti Happe voted against it.
Funding and space issues tipped opinion against it.
“I believe that this is an important issue for our district, but we are not ready to go forward at this time,” Happe said.
“We don’t know what kind of space is necessary.”
Kelly said that although the state could possibly help with funding this year, future funding was uncertain.
The five-member board earlier voted 4-1, with McLaughlin opposed, to support the program in 2008, although the board’s make-up may change by then, since the terms of three members expire in November.
Hinds felt the program was too valuable to risk waiting another year.
“We’ve talked a little about risk and reward, and there is so much reward that it is worth the risk,” Hinds said.
Sarah Methner spoke from the audience, saying, “It is easy to say we don’t have the money this year, but there’s not going to be a perfect time.
“It is like saving for your retirement.
“I would much rather have a latte every day than use the money for my retirement, but I will glad that I did later on.”
Michele Haworth, who introduced herself as an educator, said, “I am asking you to put it off one more year in order to do the planning and implementation.”
