By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee approved a revised class size policy during a July 10 meeting.
Policy IIB pertains to the district’s class size guidelines. While a previous incarnation of the School Committee discussed revising Policy IIB last November, the school board held off on approving the change.
School Committee member Jenny Sheehan, who serves on the Policy Subcommittee, gave an overview of the revised class size policy during a recent meeting. She said the revised policy “factors in the different grade levels.”
“The mission of the Lynnfield Public Schools is to support and challenge all students to meet their full potential as individuals and as citizens of the global community,” said Sheehan while reading the revised class size policy. “Class size can play a role as we strive to reach that goal for each student.”
Sheehan said the revised class size policy seeks to “recognize that we may not always be able to meet these recommendations due to specific class needs, fiscal constraints and other criteria, but consider them guidelines that represent a goal for what is optimal.”
“The superintendent may, under his/her own authority, admit up to two students above the policy if he/she deems it appropriate,” said Sheehan.
Sheehan said the “criteria” for determining class sizes includes the number of students in a grade, the age of students, the social and emotional needs for students, courses being taught, the sequence of courses, financial constraints and facility constraints.
“There are many factors that can impact what is an effective class size,” said Sheehan. “The age of students, students’ learning styles, their social and emotional needs and physical needs can all impact what might be required for a class size that allows a teacher to effectively meet the learning needs of every student.”
Sheehan said the revised policy recommends that kindergarten classes contain a maximum of 20 students due to kindergartners “transitioning into a structured learning environment and more often require intervention by adults.”
“Students in grades 1 through 3 are acquiring early reading and writing skills as well as increasingly challenging mathematical concepts and ideas,” said Sheehan. “For these reasons, a maximum of 22 students is recommended.”
Sheehan said the revised class size policy seeks to have a maximum of 24 students in grades 4-6.
“Students in grades 4 through 6 are developing as thoughtful and independent readers and effective writers,” said Sheehan. “They work with more complex mathematical and scientific concepts. For these reasons, a maximum of 24 is recommended.”
Similar to the previous class size policy, Sheehan said the revised version calls for having “reasonable class sizes” for grades 7-12.
“Students in grades 7 and 8 work to solve complex algebraic concepts and become critical thinkers,” said Sheehan. “They begin to analyze literature for meaning and practice multiple forms and genres of writing. For these reasons, reasonable class sizes are recommended. Students in grades 9 through 12 are striving to meet their full potential as individuals. Course offerings designed to meet the learning needs of all students require varying class size depending on the course and number of sections. For these reasons, reasonable class sizes are recommended.”
School Committee member Jim Dillon, who also serves on the Policy Subcommittee, expressed his support for the revised class size policy.
“I think it’s a good policy,” said Dillon.
School Committee Chair Kate DePrizio agreed.
“I think this is more appropriate to meet the needs of all of our learners,” said DePrizio.
DePrizio, Dillon, Sheehan and School Committee Vice Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy voted to approve the revised class size policy during last week’s meeting. School Committee member Jamie Hayman voted present.
The previous class size policy recommended that kindergarten and first grade classes have between 18-22 students, with 18 being considered the “optimal number.” The old policy recommended that second and third grade classes have between 20-23 students, with 20 being considered the “optimal number.”
Policy IIB previously recommended that fourth through sixth grade classes include between 20 and 24 students, with 20 being considered the “optimal number.” The policy recommended that class sizes for grades 7-12 be “reasonable.”
The class size policy was last updated in 2003.
