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Teachers at Numa Elementary are concerned about the current student-to-teacher ratio in their sixth-grade classrooms.
“We have 91 sixth-graders enrolled at Numa and three teachers,” said sixth-grade teacher Vickie Purrell. “That puts 30 in each room.”
Assistant Superintendent Scott Meihack said the capacity for student to teacher ratio is 22-1 for first through third grades and 25-1 for fourth through sixth grades. He said every elementary school has at least one grade level over capacity, but most grades are under.
“This year it's not quite as glamorous as we'd necessary like,” Meihack said.
Meihack said as of Oct. 29, the average number of students in a classroom district-wide was 22.7 for first-grade, 22.5 for second, 22.6 for third, 24.6 for fourth, 25.6 for fifth and 25.8 for sixth.
Meihack added the district is not worried about the average district student-to-teacher ratios being a little high because they usually drop as the year progresses.
“Each year, historically, the number starts out high,” Meihack said.
Superintendent Carolyn Ross also said the small increases shouldn't have a dramatic impact.
“If you look at resources on class-size reduction, the trend data will tell you there's more variables than class size to student performance,” Ross said. “The variable there is not size — it's teacher's skills. Two or three kids is not going to make or break an effective teacher.”
Nevertheless, Meihack said the Numa sixth-grade classes are technically under capacity.
Purrell said the sixth-graders are on a system where they switch classes each period to prepare them for junior high school. The students in the fifth-grade class were not experiencing that benefit.
Purrell said she and the other sixth-grade teachers with Principal Robert Freeman's support decided to have the extra students take attendance with the fifth-grade teacher but sit in on the regular sixth-grade classes, making the classrooms above capacity.
“That's a choice the school and principal makes, not the district office,” Meihack said.
Purrell said having too many children in a classroom makes it difficult to teach.
“I'm not going to say it breaks the classroom, but it does add to the stress of meeting the class's needs,” Purrell said. “I've had to cut back on their (science) labs that I couldn't do for their safety. There's too many kids in here.”
She added Numa did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards in math.
“Our frustration is that we are trying to save money, and we are trying to find loopholes to save the money, but we're also trying to meet AYP,” Purrell said. “We're trying to give these kids a well rounded education.”
Meihack reiterated the problem was settled prior to the beginning of the year by creating a combination class that Numa chose not to use.
“Every school has a combination class of some type,” Meihack said.
Purrell said to lessen the stress she asked Meihack if the district could not admit any more sixth-grade students to Numa Elementary. Yet, Purrell said more children have been admitted.
“We got another new student, and I am now really concerned. I had to go search for a desk today,” Purrell said.
Meihack said they have only had replacement students.
“That part of it is correct,” Meihack said. “We weren't going to put any more in, and they've only gotten kids to replace those they've lost.”
Purrell said she understands the budget problem but wants the teachers and the district to work together to solve the issues arising from budget cuts.
“We shouldn't compromise student-to-teacher ratio. It should be our first priority,” Purrell said. “It shouldn't be teachers against the district office. It should be us working together.”
Meihack said there is a possibility that left over money from the 2009 budget could be used to add new teachers. He thinks it is unlikely because the state may ask for money back, something that will be determined at a state legislature special session in December.
“No one enjoys this,” Meihack said. “I don't, the teachers don't, the parents don't. We are at a time in this country, state, county and city that we haven't been in a long time, and it's all new. There comes a time and a place when these hard decisions have to be made.”
“We have 91 sixth-graders enrolled at Numa and three teachers,” said sixth-grade teacher Vickie Purrell. “That puts 30 in each room.”
Assistant Superintendent Scott Meihack said the capacity for student to teacher ratio is 22-1 for first through third grades and 25-1 for fourth through sixth grades. He said every elementary school has at least one grade level over capacity, but most grades are under.
“This year it's not quite as glamorous as we'd necessary like,” Meihack said.
Meihack said as of Oct. 29, the average number of students in a classroom district-wide was 22.7 for first-grade, 22.5 for second, 22.6 for third, 24.6 for fourth, 25.6 for fifth and 25.8 for sixth.
Meihack added the district is not worried about the average district student-to-teacher ratios being a little high because they usually drop as the year progresses.
“Each year, historically, the number starts out high,” Meihack said.
Superintendent Carolyn Ross also said the small increases shouldn't have a dramatic impact.
“If you look at resources on class-size reduction, the trend data will tell you there's more variables than class size to student performance,” Ross said. “The variable there is not size — it's teacher's skills. Two or three kids is not going to make or break an effective teacher.”
Nevertheless, Meihack said the Numa sixth-grade classes are technically under capacity.
Purrell said the sixth-graders are on a system where they switch classes each period to prepare them for junior high school. The students in the fifth-grade class were not experiencing that benefit.
Purrell said she and the other sixth-grade teachers with Principal Robert Freeman's support decided to have the extra students take attendance with the fifth-grade teacher but sit in on the regular sixth-grade classes, making the classrooms above capacity.
“That's a choice the school and principal makes, not the district office,” Meihack said.
Purrell said having too many children in a classroom makes it difficult to teach.
“I'm not going to say it breaks the classroom, but it does add to the stress of meeting the class's needs,” Purrell said. “I've had to cut back on their (science) labs that I couldn't do for their safety. There's too many kids in here.”
She added Numa did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards in math.
“Our frustration is that we are trying to save money, and we are trying to find loopholes to save the money, but we're also trying to meet AYP,” Purrell said. “We're trying to give these kids a well rounded education.”
Meihack reiterated the problem was settled prior to the beginning of the year by creating a combination class that Numa chose not to use.
“Every school has a combination class of some type,” Meihack said.
Purrell said to lessen the stress she asked Meihack if the district could not admit any more sixth-grade students to Numa Elementary. Yet, Purrell said more children have been admitted.
“We got another new student, and I am now really concerned. I had to go search for a desk today,” Purrell said.
Meihack said they have only had replacement students.
“That part of it is correct,” Meihack said. “We weren't going to put any more in, and they've only gotten kids to replace those they've lost.”
Purrell said she understands the budget problem but wants the teachers and the district to work together to solve the issues arising from budget cuts.
“We shouldn't compromise student-to-teacher ratio. It should be our first priority,” Purrell said. “It shouldn't be teachers against the district office. It should be us working together.”
Meihack said there is a possibility that left over money from the 2009 budget could be used to add new teachers. He thinks it is unlikely because the state may ask for money back, something that will be determined at a state legislature special session in December.
“No one enjoys this,” Meihack said. “I don't, the teachers don't, the parents don't. We are at a time in this country, state, county and city that we haven't been in a long time, and it's all new. There comes a time and a place when these hard decisions have to be made.”
