To: Alona Scott and the Board of Trustees

From: Concerned Parents of The Buckley School Third Grade

Date: 8/29/2025

We, the undersigned parents and guardians of third grade students at The Buckley School, respectfully submit this letter to express our deep concern over the proposed reduction in classroom teaching staff from two teachers per class to one teacher per class and one floating teacher across the grade.

Background

As you are aware, Buckley currently serves 6 grades in the lower school, with two classes per grade and approximately 20 children per class, totaling 40 children per grade. Families in the lower school pay $48,250 annually in tuition, representing a significant investment in our children’s education and well-being. This year, although 10 children in the grade left the school, bringing each class size to 15 students, the overall number of students across the school remains consistent with a fully enrolled program. In other words, each class and grade remains operational, and the school remains at or near full tuition-based funding. Importantly, tuition has not been reduced, and families continue to pay the same rate for the same level of service and support.

Our Concerns

We understand that staffing decisions must be balanced with enrollment realities and fiscal responsibility. However, we believe this change to reduce teaching staff is premature and undermines the quality of education and support that has made Buckley a leader in nurturing, student-centered learning.

• No Financial Shortfall: Despite the departure of 10 students, the school remains fully enrolled overall. The number of classes has not decreased, and tuition has not been reduced. Therefore, the tuition revenue remains consistent. A decision to reduce classroom teachers under these circumstances is not justified by budget constraints.
• Two Teachers = High-Quality Education: The two-teacher model is not just a luxury — it is a fundamental part of what makes our school exceptional and why we chose Buckley for our children. With two qualified educators in each classroom, students receive more individualized attention, more effective differentiation of instruction, and a more responsive and inclusive learning environment. This is particularly critical for young children during foundational academic and social-emotional development.
• Increased Teacher Burnout and Decreased Student Support: Reducing each class to one dedicated teacher will dramatically increase workload and stress on remaining teachers and reduce the quality and consistency of student support. The “floating” teacher model, while helpful in theory, cannot provide the same depth of engagement or continuity that two dedicated classroom teachers offer. Additionally, we understand that the current floating teacher is going on leave, which raises concerns about continuity and stability for the students. The role of floating teacher will fall to an unidentified substitute for a portion of the year. This will place additional stress and expectations on a temporary teacher who will already be tasked with learning the curriculum and integrating into existing classrooms, an inherently challenging responsibility even without the added complexity of an unfamiliar and undefined role. Having a substitute teacher serve as the floater will compound the disadvantages to the students.
• Parent-Teacher Communication and Support: Two teachers per class improves communication with families and allows for more consistent and meaningful updates about student progress. Reducing this structure risks weakening the collaborative relationship between home and school that is a core part of our community.

Our Request

We respectfully ask the administration to maintain two full-time teachers per classroom for the current academic year and beyond, regardless of the slight drop in per-class enrollment. If the school will not immediately provide this, we are requesting a sit-down meeting with the Head of School, the Head of the Board, and the Head of the Lower School to explain why this decision is being made.

We remain deeply committed to the success of Buckley and believe that maintaining high-quality teaching staff is one of the most important investments in our children’s future. However, if the school proceeds with reducing core classroom staff despite full tuition and enrollment levels, many families will be forced to reconsider their continued enrollment and make difficult decisions about where their children receive their education.

Sincerely,