Show Your Support For Smaller Class Sizes For Wallingford-Swarthmore School District: Policy Revisions Needed
Current WSSD Class Size Policy*:
- No maximum class size limit
- No class size range
- No guarantee for class size equity between the three elementary schools
- No guidelines for standardization across the district
- No measurable guidelines
Current Conditions:
- SRS Kindergarten class sizes are 22, 23, 24, 25.
- NPE Kindergarten class sizes are 21, 22, 20
- WES Kindergarten class sizes are 17, 18, 18
- Based on registration, SRS kindergarten for the 2014/2015 school year looks to be as large or larger than the current year
- 4th grade math class at 28
- Discrepancies exist from school to school
What you can do:
- Sign this petition
- Pass it on
- Write a letter to the school board and Dr. Noonan, Superintendent
*Class Size Policy, Policy 126:
Below is WSSD policy 126, class size policy, for your reference. Currently, it is unavailable on the district's website:
Policy No. 126
Class size shall be determined by the Board after consultation with the Superintendent and building principals.
The Superintendent shall prepare guidelines for class size, which shall take into account:
1. Subject matter
2. Type of instruction
3. Ability of students
4. Age group of students
5. Use of aides
6. Use of special facilities and equipment
7. Reasonable economies
8. Standardization across the district, within practical limits
This is a district issue that can affect any child. Without measurable guidelines, our current class size policy is meaningless. Sign on to support a clear policy for class size.
Thank you,
Courtney Page
Autumn Mansor
Updates
March 4, 2014
The response to this petition has demonstrated a clear consensus regarding the necessity for standardized class size policies within our district. This momentum indicates that our community expects greater accountability and equity in the educational environment provided to our children.
Reached 100 supporters
March 4, 2014
32 Comments
Maximum class size limit should be set and enforced across all grades and ALL elementary schools in the same way. If we want top notch, high level education for our kids then we need to keep the class sizes down. This goes beyond the kindergarten class at SRS. This should be of concern for every parent in every elementary school in this district.
I am told that the superintendent of Springfield caps kindergarten and first grade classrooms at 15. Let's do that here.
keeping class size under 20 in the primary grades and under 25 in elementary grades is critical not only for pedagogical reasons but social reasons. Adding another body (aide) to an overly large class only makes the teacher's job harder. My children are grown and out of the schools; I would pay higher taxes but only if SRS were treated fairly...a rare thing in this district.
While volunteering at SRS, I see how frustrating and stressful having too many students is on our teachers and how this impacts our children. It also makes me sad to see the kids rushed through their activities and the teachers spread too thin to address all of the kids' needs as they arise.
Our son is in Kindergarten class at SRS. Teachers and kids have not been able to really do the best they can with so many kids in the room. How cn we ask the teachers to really get to know our children with so many children and only in 2.5 hours a day. Please make the change our district is to good for this to happen again
Please add another 5th grade class to NPE. 26-27 students per class benefits no one. We do not want the students or teachers to suffer.
Newsweek magazine states that class sizes at WSSD are small. The same media reports that rank WSSD as 17th in the state of PA state that class sizes are small. 25-27 students in a class is unacceptable; please do not set the children up for failure on future state tests or when they compete against other kids in the district who socioeconomically lucked out with a smaller class size, longer face time with a teacher and better shot. Thanks!
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
Show Your Support For Smaller Class Sizes For Wallingford-Swarthmore School District: Policy Revisions Needed
Current WSSD Class Size Policy*:
- No maximum class size limit
- No class size range
- No guarantee for class size equity between the three elementary schools
- No guidelines for standardization across the district
- No measurable guidelines
Current Conditions:
- SRS Kindergarten class sizes are 22, 23, 24, 25.
- NPE Kindergarten class sizes are 21, 22, 20
- WES Kindergarten class sizes are 17, 18, 18
- Based on registration, SRS kindergarten for the 2014/2015 school year looks to be as large or larger than the current year
- 4th grade math class at 28
- Discrepancies exist from school to school
What you can do:
- Sign this petition
- Pass it on
- Write a letter to the school board and Dr. Noonan, Superintendent
*Class Size Policy, Policy 126:
Below is WSSD policy 126, class size policy, for your reference. Currently, it is unavailable on the district's website:
Policy No. 126
Class size shall be determined by the Board after consultation with the Superintendent and building principals.
The Superintendent shall prepare guidelines for class size, which shall take into account:
1. Subject matter
2. Type of instruction
3. Ability of students
4. Age group of students
5. Use of aides
6. Use of special facilities and equipment
7. Reasonable economies
8. Standardization across the district, within practical limits
This is a district issue that can affect any child. Without measurable guidelines, our current class size policy is meaningless. Sign on to support a clear policy for class size.
Thank you,
Courtney Page
Autumn Mansor
Updates
March 4, 2014
The response to this petition has demonstrated a clear consensus regarding the necessity for standardized class size policies within our district. This momentum indicates that our community expects greater accountability and equity in the educational environment provided to our children.
Reached 100 supporters
March 4, 2014
32 Comments
Class size affects all aspects of the classroom experience, for both the students and the teachers. It is imperative that WSSD set clear class limits and define an overall policy that ensures that every student across the district will get the proper attention and teachers know what their maximum class size will be from year to year.
Maximum class size limit should be set and enforced across all grades and ALL elementary schools in the same way. If we want top notch, high level education for our kids then we need to keep the class sizes down. This goes beyond the kindergarten class at SRS. This should be of concern for every parent in every elementary school in this district.
I am told that the superintendent of Springfield caps kindergarten and first grade classrooms at 15. Let's do that here.
keeping class size under 20 in the primary grades and under 25 in elementary grades is critical not only for pedagogical reasons but social reasons. Adding another body (aide) to an overly large class only makes the teacher's job harder. My children are grown and out of the schools; I would pay higher taxes but only if SRS were treated fairly...a rare thing in this district.
While volunteering at SRS, I see how frustrating and stressful having too many students is on our teachers and how this impacts our children. It also makes me sad to see the kids rushed through their activities and the teachers spread too thin to address all of the kids' needs as they arise.
Our son is in Kindergarten class at SRS. Teachers and kids have not been able to really do the best they can with so many kids in the room. How cn we ask the teachers to really get to know our children with so many children and only in 2.5 hours a day. Please make the change our district is to good for this to happen again
Please add another 5th grade class to NPE. 26-27 students per class benefits no one. We do not want the students or teachers to suffer.
Newsweek magazine states that class sizes at WSSD are small. The same media reports that rank WSSD as 17th in the state of PA state that class sizes are small. 25-27 students in a class is unacceptable; please do not set the children up for failure on future state tests or when they compete against other kids in the district who socioeconomically lucked out with a smaller class size, longer face time with a teacher and better shot. Thanks!
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach 250 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via .
Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Class size affects all aspects of the classroom experience, for both the students and the teachers. It is imperative that WSSD set clear class limits and define an overall policy that ensures that every student across the district will get the proper attention and teachers know what their maximum class size will be from year to year.