Three parents of ninth grade students in French classes attended the Princeton Regional Schools' program committee meeting on Monday to discuss their concerns with the size of language classes at Princeton High School.
Mary Harper, the parent of a student in an advanced 3 French class, as well as an experienced English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher, said that she feels that overcrowded language classes at PHS are becoming a detriment to her child's learning experience.
"The quality and conditions of instruction vary on the popularity of the classes," she said, noting that some of the German classes are half the size of the French classes due to a lack of student interest. Some of the Japanese, Spanish, and Latin classes are also smaller than the French ones, she added.
"We have a fantastic group of language teachers and we're asking them to do the impossible," said Ms. Harper. "The larger the class, the more disparity there is between children's ability levels."
The parents relayed reports they had found stating that students are able to learn a language the best in a class size of approximately 20 students. However, there are currently several language classes at the high school with more than 25 students, they said. PHS allows for as many as 30 students per class.
Priscilla Russell, supervisor of world languages, ESL, and bilingual studies at PHS, relayed that one Latin class has 29 students, and while she is happy the class is so popular, it is difficult to teach in that environment.
"The numbers have been going up," she said.
Members of the school board met the parents' and teachers' concerns with few responses, explaining that due to the state's S-1701 bill, the district is constantly pressed to cut down on expenses wherever possible rather than add to the budget by hiring additional staff members.
"The burden is on us to be inventive & to provide much more than the state is willing to provide for us," said Board member Jeffrey Spear.
PHS Principal Gary Snyder relayed that there are currently enrollments of 28, 24, and 21 students in the advanced 3 French classes, and while the school does what it can to keep the class sizes balanced, "it's when students come back in September and want to make alterations to their schedules that things become difficult."
Board member Alan Hegedus suggested possibly dividing language classes in half by having some students work on computer programs while the others are instructed, and then switching.
"We're about to enter the budget process & and we'll keep your ideas in mind," said Program Committee Chair Charlotte Bialek, responding to parents.
Also on the agenda was the discussion of an internal document that the committee has been considering distributing to faculty in the district that would explain the different types of learning disabilities and offer advice on where a teacher should seek help if a student has one. The document resulted from the Board's approval last month of a set of goals that would address the needs of all students in the district, particularly those with learning disabilities; it was discussed in closed session and is scheduled to be brought before the Board at its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 22.