Kinder Star, new enrichment program, to replace shortened classroom time in Hermosa Beach

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Change is afoot this school year in the Hermosa Beach City School District. Effective this school year, kindergarten classes are reduced from full days to half days. To make up for lost time in the classroom, the district has launched a new optional enrichment program called Kinder Star in partnership with the City of Hermosa Beach and STAR Education, a Culver City-based education enrichment nonprofit with programs in 60 school districts nationwide.

This past spring, the school board addressed the overcrowding issue at the district’s grade 3-8 school — Hermosa Valley — by moving third-grade students to its k-2 school, Hermosa View. This move opened up four classrooms at Valley to accommodate the growing middle school population. To make classroom space for the third graders, the school’s kindergarten program was slashed in half.

“Kindergarten was one program we could change,” said Hermosa Beach City School District Superintendent Patricia Escalante. “That opened up the four classrooms we needed.”

Half of the school’s kindergarten population will attend class from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the other half will attend from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hermosa Kinder Star offers morning and afternoon programs to accommodate both groups, with transportation provided to and from Hermosa View to the city’s community center, where the program will be held. The program will operate every day school is in session.

Escalante said she is optimistic about the scope of the new program. Its theme-based curriculum incorporates S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and includes story time, music, dance and fitness among other enrichment classes. According to STAR Education, its staff is trained in neuroscience-based education, and all programs are designed to help students develop self awareness and confidence.

“The whole cornerstone of their philosophy is enrichment,” Escalante said. “That was something we wanted to make sure we were offering for parents. Our children come to kindergarten very well prepared — most of them have spent time in preschool. So the enrichment component was very critical.”

Registration fees are 10 monthly payments of $360 for five days per week, or $21 per day for two to four days a week. The program offers scholarships on a sliding scale.

Escalante said she hopes to foster a longterm relationship with STAR Education. While this particular program is geared to serve kindergarten students, she hopes to eventually bring other programs onto campus.

Escalante lauded the district and city for coming up with a creative and effective solution to meet the needs of its students.

“That’s something that reflects our mutual goals of ensuring that our kids are well-educated and ready for school,” she said. “We believe this is going to accomplish that.”

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