- 20 of these are the Freshman collaborative sections which were protected
60% exceed 25 students per class
- 167 sections with 25-29 students
- 61 sections with 30-34 students
- 44 sections with 35 or more students
Appears that the cuts have affected the electives with larger class sizes
Ogden
Yes, we protected the core classes and allowed the electives to grow. Those classes can generally deal with the larger class sizes better than the core.
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Ogden -
Better numbers are forthcoming with the official numbers that are due into the State in October. These are preliminary and raw numbers. We'll have a better understanding and explanation when the school year has settled.
We are at a saturation size for cuts. Many classes are over-sized. When you have to provide feedback to 100-150 students, you get shortcuts and less meaningful feedback. Some researchers say that 80 kids is the maximum to allow teachers to provide appropriate feedback.
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Cafasso -
NEASC has no specific number that they are looking in for?
Ogden -
No, there is no specific target at that level. This will peek their interest. They will start asking questions to get into where the numbers may be changing the actual learning experience. They will ask those kinds of questions. They will give us 6-8 months to respond. They will decide to continually receive a update through our five year anniversary date, or they could take the step to put us on a probation status (we are already on a warning status).
Cafasso -
We have 500 plus 8th graders and 300 plus seniors, this will be an increase of a hundred students at the high school next year. We'll need to think about this as we try to handle the budget for next year.
Cafasso -
Horace Mann has 45 over the guidelines, Remington has 36. You followed a similar effort in those places.
Wittcoff -
We average 28 but that means some are 30 and some are 24. We artificially we able to handle the math but that created problems such that science is higher (with 30 in both sections).
Cafasso -
Jefferson, Kennedy, Thayer are taking the brunt of the hit with the class size and cuts in teachers.
Ogden -
The teachers and principals looked at the numbers but also at the complexity of the learning requirements to make their decisions. The other factor is space. 25 fourth graders in a room is tight.
Cafasso -
Only plus looks like there will be less in the middle schools next year than there are this year (approx. 25).
Ogden -
The teachers are very worried and very challenged about this year in delivering to the high standards they we all have. The kids are not feeling the stress if it is there. There is a high spirit.
Mullen -
The high science class size is a concern and you have the newer facilities to utilize.
Ogden -
Not a universal problem but there are enough large class sizes to be concerned about the overall student performance.
Wittcoff -
When she talks to the teachers about their labs, they won't talk about giving up with they do. They haven't started labs yet, they will somehow maneuver to accomplish as many labs and experiments yet. Talk to me later to see what has been done.
Mullen -
Can you remind me, I know the teachers are not teaching 4 classes.
Wittcoff -
This is due to how the middle school model has transformed. 4 classes in their discipline, split team teachers teach 2 in two different subjects, then all teach in that multi purpose session (re-teaching, homework session). If not teaching, three times during the week they are in planning or prep or meeting with parents, etc.
Mullen -
Can you sustain the numbers in your building?
Wittcoff -
I have looked at the numbers and we can sustain next year. I think it is the 2011 year that the 6th grade can't sustain and then each year there after we would need to add a team for 7th and then 8th as the "bubble" moves through.
Sabolinski -
She did a wonderful job with the projections and those numbers are without the Franklin Heights grow.
Rohrbach -
During the override tour, we had stated that our class sizes would be higher than our target in about 50% of the classes. What are we at now?
Ogden -
I think we are about 40%. The elementary numbers are not as high because when we had the 180,000 to play with we added back three teachers at the elementary teachers. Overall the estimate was right. Elementary was a little low, the high school was higher but it averages out.
Mullen -
I had the opportunity to attend the PCC meeting at FHS. There was a question from one of the parents: Are there desks for everyone. The answer was interesting, there are desks for everyone as there are empty rooms so the desks from those rooms were repositioned to help out.
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