As third grade students in the Herricks School District get ready to enter fourth grade in September, they may see an increase in class size that parents are not happy about.
At a Herricks Board of Education meeting last Thursday, parents with children entering the fourth grade at the Center Street School raised concerns that the increase in class size will be too large to adequately educate their children.
“I’m saddened that my child is going into a class size of 27,” said one parent. “I’ve been an elementary teacher for 24 years. Going from 20 students to 27 is a setup for failure.”
Other parents sounded off as each agreed that the class size was not suitable for their children’s needs.
“It’s detrimental not only to the class, but students going into it,” said another parent. “It’s like trying to get blood from a stone.”
“Don’t look at our children as numbers, but as needs,” said one parent.
According to Herricks Board of Education guidelines the maximum amount of students allowed in a fourth-grade class is 27, while the third-grade class maximum is 24. Each grade is not always filled to the maximum, which was part of the parents concern since their children were in class sizes of 20 to 22.
“Several classes will be filled at their maximum level next year,” Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Deirdre Hayes said. “However at this point they are only assumptions. The numbers are constantly shifting, with new students enrolling and others exiting.”
Earlier in the year the Herricks Board of Education eliminated 35 teaching positions as part of the 2011-2012 budget.
Superintendent of Herricks Schools John Bierwirth said that due to the financial times, he had been given directions from the board not to expand the programs.
“What is different from other years was that we were given explicit caution from the board to not add sections,” Bierwirth said. “In the past we may have just added sections, but due to the financial times we live in we are not planning to add more. We will continue to monitor the situation, but we just have to face the reality of the situation.”
One parent asked the board how they would truly feel if they had a child jump from a class of 20 to 27.
“I agree with you 100 percent. It’s not about the numbers,” said Herricks Board of Education President Christine Turner. “We have to be cautious because of the money situation. The reality is this is what the state has done to us.”
Herricks Board of Education Trustee Peter Grisafi cited past experiences with adding sections to accommodate class sizes.
“We’ve split classes before in the past and during the process we lost 10 students,” Grisafi said. “Then we end up with a class of 15 and get blamed for wasting money. We have to make sure needs are met and it’s a fine line.”
According to Bierwirth, the student enrollment numbers are checked periodically throughout the summer to assess if new sections are needed.
“Class sizes are the most important issue,” Bierwirth said. “We will review the enrollment situation prior to Labor Day, and various times up through September.”
Herricks Board of Education Trustee Paul Ehrbar also said the board will continue to monitor the enrollment situation.
“It’s been my experience that if we don’t split a class, we will make sure the support is there that the kids need,” Ehrbar said.
Thursday’s meeting was the last for Ehrbar as a trustee on the board and Bierwirth and the trustees offered their thanks and praise. Ehrbar did not run for re-election, citing the demands of his job as mayor of Williston Park.
School board President Christine Turner gave Ehrbar a plaque in recognition of his years on the board.
“We appreciate all you have done for us and wish you luck,” Turner said.
Ehrbar accepted the plaque, taking time to look back on the past year.
“This was the most difficult year I can remember on the board, due to the nature of the budget,” Ehrbar said. It was a tough year having to move staff around and it bothers the hell out of me. I want to thank everyone though for the years I spent with them from the custodian staff up through the administration.”
Trustee Sanjay Jain said Ehrbar always brought a certain wisdom to any kind of conversation on the board
“He has a different value system, and always makes a fair judgment,” Jain said.
Bierwirth also thanked Ehrbar for his dedication to the board.
“Paul has been very helpful in a lot of ways, and we appreciate you,” Bierwirth said.
