Malverne Board of Education President Danielle Hopkins said she was almost brought to tears during Tuesday night's business meeting as she listened to the stories and who have Kindergartners in the school district.
"I could not believe what I was hearing," Hopkins told Patch Thursday.
The mothers and fathers who spoke up said their students' education and well-being are being compromised because the Kindergarten teachers lack the support they once had since the district eliminated monitors from the 2011-2012 budget.
"As a mother, I took what they were saying very seriously," Hopkins added.
She also called for an executive session immediately following the meeting so the board and district officials could discuss in greater detail how they would fix the situation.
On Thursday, she revealed that the district has decided to move lunch monitors at Maurice W. Downing Primary School out of the cafeteria and into the five Kindergarten classes. (She explained that they do not have the funds to hire any additional monitors, so they must use resources they already have and shift people around.)
Starting immediately, the classrooms will each have a monitor for a total of 90 minutes each day.
"We are also looking to get volunteers in too, but that is going to take some time," she said.
She also responded to parents' complaints that some board members were laughing during the meeting while they presented their concerns.
From her vantage point, "I can't see the laughing," she says, but added that if it was happening, "that's going to stop."
