The Tomah School Board’s Four-Year-Old Kindergarten Ad-Hoc Study Committee finalized its preliminary recommendation to establish a 4-year-old kindergarten during a short meeting Monday at the school district office.

Nine of the 15 committee members were present.

Committee members didn’t alter the resolution they passed at the May 27 meeting.

The committee will make a four-part presentation during the school board’s June 19 meeting. The presentation will include:

* An introduction.

* Benefits of 4-year-old kindergarten and supporting research.

* Overview of curriculum.

* Recommendation that the committee move ahead with an implementation plan.

“It’s not something we took lightly,” said Mary Ellen Justinger, who’s both a school board and committee member. “We did our homework and came up with a conscientious decision.”

Superintendent Bob Fasbender said the committee would need to have an implementation plan before the board by December for 4-year-old kindergarten to begin in 2009-10 school year.

Roughly two-thirds of school districts in Wisconsin offer a 4-year-old kindergarten program.

The committee also established its meeting schedule for the next two months. On June 23, it will hear a presentation from Business Manager Greg Gaarder on school finance and the state aid formula.

The board tentatively set additional meetings for July 14, July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 18. All meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in the school district office.