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Date: 10/18/2018
CHICOPEE – Teachers from the Litwin School spoke about the high student to teacher ratios and a lack of resources for English Language Learners (ELL) at the School Committee meeting on Oct. 17.
One of the teachers, Jessica Jurkowski, who has taught at Litwin for eight years, said in her opinion the biggest issue facing the elementary school is the student to teacher ration,
“It’s really hard to that [pay attention to the needs of each student] when you have 27 students in a classroom.”
She noted the state average for fourth grade classrooms is 21 students. Last year she said the number went to 28.
“It’s just hard to reach them all,” she added. “The classroom size … has changed the mood [of the school.]
Another problem is the 43 ELL students who are supposed to be taught by one ELL teacher. The students have been brought into mainstream classroom and Jurkowski asserted the teachers have not been given any educational resources and that teachers are spending their own money for resources to help these students.
She also said that 60 percent of the students at Litwin are “high needs students” – which she defined as at risk for educational failure.
Teachers are charged to meet these students’ emotional and social needs, which is difficult.
“I want to help them all but I can’t help them all,” she said.
She charged the demographics in the school are changing but the resources are not responding to these changes.
Because the remarks were made during the public speak-out portion of the meeting, the members did not address specifically Jurkowski’s statement. Marjorie Wojcik, the committee’s vice chair, thanked Jurkowski for her remarks and said she wanted to hear more from teachers.
The School Committee also discussed the issue of moving the administrative offices because of on-going concerns about the building. The conversation was started by Committee Members Mary Elizabeth Pniak-Costello, who said she was not willing to close down a school in order to move the administrative offices.
She noted the present building has disability compliance issues, among others.
She suggested the city move the offices downtown to the former library building next to City Hall.
“We’ve been kicking the can down the road for quite a while, she said of the issue of moving the offices.
Committee Member David Schryver agreed that no school should be closed to make room for the administrative offices. Of the former library he said, “I don’t understand how this building just sits there and we don’t do anything with it.”
Committee Member Donald Lamothe said the issue with the former library is the cost. He said that while he is “not closing to close my mind,” he would not support a move without the facts.
Committee Member David Barsalou said he has listened to this issue for 12 years and the offices are still in the building.
Committee Member Michael Pise stated he did not believe the administrative offices could be run effectively and efficiently from the former library. He asserted it would be too costly and that building was not disabled compliant.
Members of the committee agreed the subject needs additional discussion.