North Butler Schools Cutting Transitional Kindergarten

The North Butler School District is eliminating its “transitional kindergarten” program due to financial constraints.

Superintendent Bryan Boysen has posted a letter to families on the district’s Facebook page that reads, in part, “A difficult decision I had to make in late April this year came about while reviewing enrollment and logistics of our elementary building. In reviewing numbers and budget, while collaborating with the elected board, it was decided mutually that we must cut transitional kindergarten (TK). While this may come as a shock and short notice, it had to be made to manage our finances with integrity.”

Boysen added, “This is not to say that in the future the TK  program won’t be considered. As educators, we are continuously reviewing early childhood data to guide our decision making.”

Boysen says those North Butler students who were going to be attending TK this year will be in the traditional kindergarten classrooms. Any student who is identified as needing “hurdle help” in academics will be considered for a small group and pull out instruction as needed.

Boysen also notes that feedback has called for the reintroduction of three-year-old preschool and the district will upgrade the three-year-old preschool teacher from a part-time to full-time position to help assist with interventions within the school.