Proposed elementary changes hurt class sizes

Editor:

The Columbia Counbty School Board - with the exception of one member - is considering voting to promote minimum educational standards with maximum class sizes. As a parent who voted for school board members in previous elections, I wonder why they think any parent who voted for them would want such a scenario? Their goal should be to achieve maximum educational standards with minimal class sizes.

According to school system records, six schools will be losing half an enrichment teacher, and unfortunately Evans Elementary School will be one of those schools.

I was given the ratio of minimal class times for core curriculum subjects as well as enrichment classes. What doesnt add up is the fact that 30 minutes a week is mandated by the state for art, a subject that although not always taught in the context of art is actually taught in the classroom almost daily, through hands-on projects that are done for other classes such as reading, social studies, science and, yes, even math. These art projects go above and beyond the state art curriculum. So the need for a separate art program or teacher is less essential than the need for full-time physical education teachers who benefit our children beyond measure. Reduction of the PE class size is just as important as that of the core curriculum classroom for not just the safety of our children but their ability to learn.

The school systems propsed numbers of eight classes per enrichment teacher is very unrealistic, when you consider the PE, music and art classes could grow to 40-plus students per class. This is not only a health hazard for our children; who in their right mind believes that one instructor can keep a classroom with 40 students ranging in age from 5-12 quiet long enough to give even simple instructions for an activity?

This in not conducive to quality learning or teaching. Our own state board of education web site states, Teachers cannot individualize instruction with class sizes that large

Gov. Roy Barnes promised the people of Georgia smaller class sizes, and I only see them getting larger. My son has gone from a class of 16 to 20 to a class of 26 next year. I do not see how school officials can pigeonhole all the schools in the county to the same standards when it comes to class sizes.

Evans Elementary, as well as North Columbia, were built in the 1950s and each classroom is much smaller than those of the schools build in the late 80s and 90s. If the school system is going to hold any teacher accountable for the academic achievements of their class, then it needs to be making classes of reasonable size to achieve this goal. The school system is setting up its own staff to fail. ...

I am just one parent at one school. How many other schools are being shortchanged of their right to a quality education for their children? ...

Cherie Portinga

Evans