Holmes Elementary School in Oak Park is looking for a kindergarten teacher. Though the school year is nearing the end of its first month, the school at 508 N. Kenilworth will be adding a fifth section of kindergarten due to increased enrollment. Overall, District 97 has 604 kindergartners as of Sept. 1, with 86 of those kids enrolled at Holmes. Rather than increase class size, Holmes is adding a section, says district spokesperson Chris Jasculca. Class sizes for kindergarten sections range from 15 to 20 kids, Jasculca said.
The Holmes position was posted from Sept. 13 through Monday, with candidate interviews scheduled to take place this week.
Since launching its full-day kindergarten program in 2009, overall enrollment in the district has steadily increased. Enrollment has risen from about 5,200 students in 2008-2009 to more than 5,600 last year. From 2003 to 2008 when the program was only half-day, kindergarten enrollment ranged from roughly 430 to 480 kids. Since 2009, it has been in the 550-student range and climbing.
The district spends about $3.2 million on kindergarten but receives about $4.5 million in state aid, resulting in a little over a million dollars in net gain to the district. The additional state aid from a full-day program was among the pluses for the district in expanding the program, D97 officials have said.