Middletown — The Middletown School District told the Board of Education on Tuesday that its new Kindergarten Preparatory Academy (KPA) produced measurable growth in participating children during its first year and that enrollment for next year already exceeds this year’s cohort.

The superintendent, Dr. Vasquez Matos, introduced the year‑in‑review presentation and said the program was created in response to a change in the state kindergarten law that left some younger children without a typical path to kindergarten. “This was an attempt to address that need as well and making sure our students who are entering kindergarten are actually ready academically and socially,” he said.

District staff described KPA as a full‑day program offered at seven sites this year, serving 86 children with certified teachers, transportation, meals and before‑and‑after‑school care. Don Dupee, supervisor of early childhood and community engagement, and Colin Fitzpatrick, supervisor of ELA, led a data‑driven presentation showing midyear gains in letter recognition, early numeracy and other foundational skills. The district said it is tracking the cohort through kindergarten and beyond to measure longer‑term impact.

Teachers described classroom practice that emphasized “purposeful play,” executive‑function routines and literacy‑rich environments. Angela (KPA teacher, Snow School) told the board that students engage in play scenarios tied to curricular units — for example, a garden center or grocery store — and then plan, execute and reflect on those activities to build self‑regulation and planning skills. “They plan what they’re going to do in that job… and then we reflect on that plan,” she said.

Naraskaya, a KPA teacher at Wesley Elementary, explained literacy supports: multilingual print, word walls, choral reading and a phonological awareness curriculum. Chris Newton, the Spencer KPA teacher, described the classroom energy and frequent use of counting and linear calendars: “A little girl… is counting to a hundred. That’s not an end‑of‑kindergarten skill. But they’re excited about it.”

A parent, Lisa Annis, said the program changed her family’s expectations: “My daughter has… she’s reading. It doesn’t feel like school to her. She’s excited.” The district noted families can opt into the program and that home visits and family engagement were part of this year’s model.

Administrators acknowledged work remaining on sustainable, equitable funding. Dr. Vasquez Matos said the district will press for stable support from state and federal sources and will continue collecting qualitative and quantitative evidence to make that case to policymakers. He noted that roughly 804 families are already on the enrollment list for next year’s KPA seats.

District leaders invited board members to visit KPA classrooms and said the program materials, a short video and updated data will appear on the district website.

The board praised teachers and staff and discussed tracking and reporting plans; no formal action was required at the meeting.