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WEAC president applauds passage of kindergarten attendance bill
Posted: 10/6/2009 2:28:40 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2009
Contact: Christina Brey, 608.298.2519
The following statement was released today by Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council:
"Wisconsin’s educators applaud the passage of the kindergarten attendance bill, signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle today at West Middleton Elementary School in Verona, because we know the kindergarten learning experience is an essential building block for a child’s success in school.
"Attending kindergarten regularly establishes the importance of education and sets a pattern for attendance in future school years, and children who participate in kindergarten are much more likely to be prepared for the challenges of first grade.
"This law will make a difference for children, our communities, and ultimately, our state. In fact, the bill was championed first by kindergarten teachers and other early childhood educators, including longtime kindergarten teachers Michelle Frola of the Iola-Scandinavia School District, and Anne Knapp of Kenosha.
"With this law, Wisconsin joins the growing list of states that require kindergarten attendance, and we should be proud that we’re continuing our tradition of high quality early childhood education that began when Margarethe Schurz founded the nation’s first kindergarten in Watertown about 160 years ago."
To arrange an interview with WEAC President Mary Bell, or with a Wisconsin kindergarten teacher, contact Christina Brey, WEAC media relations officer, 608.298.2519.
