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King’s Highway Elementary fifth grade parents are concerned about the sizes of their children’s classes this fall, and brought their issues to the Westport Board of Education tonight.
Two parents attended the meeting expressing concern that there will be three sections with 24 students each for the fifth grade rather than four sections.
Karen Fernandez, one of the parents, said having classes with 24 or 25 students—which is within the district’s class size guidelines—is not good for the students.
“We’re going to have a situation in the classrooms that is not ideal, and it’s not what Westport is known for,” she said.
Mary Collins, the other parent, said parents fought hard for there to be four sections when the children were in fourth grade.
“I hope we can get the extra teacher,” she said.
Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon said the fifth grade class stands at 72 students, which breaks into three classes of 24, but if more students come to the school before the end of the summer school officials would add another teacher.
It’s important for new families in town to register at the schools now, he said, so school officials can properly determine how many teachers are needed.
If students show up to the schools after the first day, he said, teachers and sections cannot be added.
At that time, he said, paraprofessionals can only be added to aide in the classes.
