North Shore School District 112 is leaning toward slightly higher class size limits that stop short of the maximums that would have been allowed under the school closing plan.
Though no formal action was taken Jan. 17, three board members favored a plan to raise class-size maximums by one student at all but one grade level.
The exception would come in third grade, which would be treated on par with fourth and fifth grades and capped at 26 students, an increase of three students.
Under the now-aborted school closing plan known as BDR3, class size maximums were scheduled to rise by three students at most elementary grades, and by two students at the middle school level. In third grade, the cap would have risen from 23 to 28 students.
In December, the board put its contentious plan to close schools on hold a few days after Superintendent Michael Bregy announced his resignation. The planned closing of Ravinia, Lincoln, Elm Place and the Green Bay Early Childhood Center was expected to save the district about $5 million annually in personnel costs.
Some board members advocated at the time for using the larger class size limits of the school closing plan when staffing schools for next year in order to realize some savings.
Assistant Superintendent Monica Schroeder predicted Jan. 17 the district would be able to cut eight teaching positions in the elementary schools, at a savings of $520,000, by increasing class limits to the levels proposed in the school closing plan. The limits would rise from 23 to 26 students in kindergarten through second grade, from 23 to 28 students in third grade, from 25 to 28 students in fourth and fifth grade, and from 28 to 30 students throughout middle school. The option would affect five of the district’s eight elementary schools.
Schroeder noted, however, that those ceilings represent a substantial jump over the current maximums.
“We’ve talked a lot about the rate of change and asked, What can the community withstand at this point in time?,” said Schroeder, assistant superintendent for personnel services. “Is there something that’s in between?”
The plan that raises class limits by one student at most grade levels would allow the district to trim four positions and save about $260,000, according to the district. Class-size caps would rise to 24 students in kindergarten through second grade, to 26 students in third through fifth grade and to 29 students in middle school. Two of the district’s elementary schools would be affected.
The district expects to trim two teaching positions next year under the current guidelines, and those savings were incorporated into both scenarios.
Jane Solmor-Mordini and newly-appointed board member Adam Kornblatt supported implementing the higher limits that would allow three additional students at most elementary grade levels. Eric Ephraim, Samantha Stolberg and Yumi Ross preferred the alternative that added one student to all grade levels with the exception of third grade.
@KarenABerkowitz
