School Committee Votes to Keep Full-Day Kindergarten

School committee members voted unanimously to keep full-day kindergarten classes in East Providence schools during a Tuesday night meeting.

"The amount of money that we would save is a drop in the bucket of what it will cost in the long run," said member Ryan Tellier, adding some students won't need special education in the future if they attend full-day kindergarten.

Members also voted on a handful of additional department cuts proposed by .

The department's policy manual will be updated as the last modification was made 30 years ago. Necessary updates include specifications regarding the use of city vehicles. It will take approximately three to six months to complete the revisions.

"It would be a revamping of the current policy book," said Mary King, finance director for the school department.

The expansion of a pre-school program was also approved by the committee. According to member Stephen Furtado, the program will be "revenue-generating" since parents pay tuition for enrollment. In another motion, members voted to charge organizations to use school facilities.

The state-appointed budget commission is currently reviewing the firm's recommendations to reduce a projected $7.4 million deficit. An employee of the state attended the meeting.

Members did not vote on a recommendation to cut middle school sports and freshman sports. Students and parents took the podium to express the value sports programs give to the city's public education program.