The Stoughton Area School District Board of Education moved forward with staffing recommendations for the 2024-25 school year at Monday night’s meeting.
The board voted against the reduction of an orchestra teacher position, meaning this position will stay as of now. The board approved other staffing changes.
The district will add two mental health positions, three interventionists and one academic coach with the help of referendum funding. District superintendent Dan Keyser said these positions are the district's “greatest lever” to work towards the three goals of reading, math and belonging.
Other changes based on enrollment include the reduction of one kindergarten teacher and staffing additions for eighth grade, health and learning strategist for students in special education.
Kris Adams, the president of Stoughton Education Association criticized the staffing decisions, saying there was a lack of communication and consultation with the SEA and educators.
“I urge you to put a pause in the proposal which is deeply flawed and commit to working with the SEA to develop a more comprehensive, balanced and sustainable plan for the benefit of all our students,” Adams said.
Achieving optimal classrooms
The purpose of adding reading and math interventionists is to address the district's achievement gaps in literacy and math. The positions are designed to help the students who are struggling the most academically.
Teachers and board members questioned whether reducing class sizes would be more effective than adding interventionists. Some felt that prioritizing the quality of initial instruction in the classroom would reduce the need for interventionists in the long term.
“Lower class sizes turn our teachers into interventionists. It gives them more time to meet students where they are,” board member Holly Tellander said. “We have amazing veteran teachers who don't have the capacity to be everything they could be.”
The board’s student representative, Lily O’Hearn said that she has noticed her teachers struggle to keep up with large class sizes and students often don’t feel they have enough opportunities to ask for additional help.
Several science teachers attended the meeting, asking the board to lower their class sizes, specifically for biology and STEM courses to create a safer environment that can foster more one on one support between students and the teacher.
“Research has shown that most accidents occur in classrooms with an enrollment greater than 24 students,” high school science teacher Cindy Carter said.
Orchestra
The recommended orchestra staffing plan would have cut one orchestra position, meaning one full time instructor would teach middle school and high school orchestra classes. Since the board rejected this suggestion, two full time orchestra instructors remain in the staffing plan.
After concerns about how orchestra staffing cuts would affect the fifth-grade orchestra program, an option to replace the program with an after-school club for interested fifth graders was proposed. However, transportation to this club would not be provided because of transportation shortages.
It is unknown how the rejection of the staffing cut will affect the possibility of fifth grade orchestra. Some board members discussed fundraising or carpooling as an option to make transportation available.
Media specialist openings
Keyser said he is working with Stoughton media specialists to come up with a plan on how to address the open media specialist positions at Sandhill and Kegonsa Elementary. When a recommendation is made it will come before the board. Keyser is unsure if this will happen before next school year.
