RIVER FALLS – Entrance age for elementary students has been a topic of discussion for the River Falls Board of Education throughout its history, and the May 15 board meeting saw the topic at the forefront once more.

The board approved the first reading of revised 421-Rule Early Admissions Procedures and 421 Entrance Age which would alter the wording of the policy that allows children under the age of 4 on Sept. 1 to enter 4-year-old kindergarten if the child meets the standards of the district and turns 4 on or prior to Oct. 1.

Changes such as adding early admitted children will advance grade levels upon completion unless “unforeseen circumstances warrant further consideration” and the draft of an online form for parents or guardians to request early admission were among the differences.

This came as the ninth revision of 421 - Entrance Age since it was approved in 1969, with the most recent revision coming in 2015.

 Educational Program Committee Chair Alan Tuchtenhagen said the goal of switching from a written request to an online form is to give parents a better opportunity to explain why their child should be admitted early.

“There’s got to be some kind of a cutoff date for kindergarten or preschool,” Tuchtenhagen said. “Some kids are just ready. They’re ready on Oct. 1 and some kids may not be ready on Aug. 1. Every student is a little bit different.”

Other requirements of the policy that were in place prior to the revision and would remain in place include the parent or guardian completing a request form by April 1 of the year before admittance, the child being at or above the 95th percentile in IQ, physical, social-emotional and adaptive behavior assessments and the observation of the child in a school, daycare or home setting.

A new position in the School District of River Falls will be the Student Support Teacher (SST). The board approved the job description for the position which includes a position summary stating:

“The Student Support Teacher (SST) is responsible for supporting the academic and behavioral

development of identified students. The SST serves as a liaison between students, staff, social workers, and parents in supporting student success and contributes to a positive building culture by monitoring student attendance, investigating minor student discipline concerns, and leading school supervision efforts.”

President Stacy Johnson Myers said the position is meant to help both students and teachers, and next year will serve as a trial run.

“It will be in some sense a pilot because we are just trying it out,” Johnson Myers said of the position.

The board approved the 2024-25 school calendar, which would begin the school year Sept. 3, 2024, and end it June 6, 2025. Notable dates from the year include winter break spanning from Dec. 23-Jan. 1, spring break from March 17-21 and a day off on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Overall, the school year is slated for 175 student days in addition to two parent teacher conference days and 11 teacher in-service days/work days.

Acknowledgements

Wildcat Pride Awards were given to Reese Visger and Ciara Roberson for showcasing strong character in the district.

River Falls Superintendent Jamie Benson was honored for completing a 25th year as a district administrator in Wisconsin with a certificate of merit given by the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.