On Sept. 10, the Board of Education held their first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year. Board President Adam Smith began the meeting with a speech and a moment of silence for those who passed on 9/11.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Hynes addressed transportation issues on the first day of school, assuring that buses would leave on time and dismissal would run smoother, which has been an issue in the past. Further, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Christopher Shields reported that this year’s current district enrollment is 5,322 students, an increase of 28 students compared to last year.
During the Community Comments segments, more than eight parents advocated for smaller class sizes at Sousa and the other elementary schools. While the lower grades of Sousa received additional classes to accommodate more students, Sousa’s fourth grade is overcrowded, with the largest class consisting of 27 students. The school has nearly six students over the NYS guidelines, and teachers and over 160 parents are petitioning for additional sections in the fourth grade.
The President of the Port Washington Teachers Association Ms. Regina McLean also spoke of her disappointment regarding the superintendent’s request for the Board to waive their class size policy for Sousa’s class with 27 students.
“We hope that the school board will deny this request and create a new section. While we recognize that this can be disruptive at the start of the year, we also know that ultimately once the transition is made, it is what is best for our students,” said Ms. McLean.
Many students at Schreiber feel the same way.
“It is ridiculous…Schools need to limit their class sizes to a certain amount,” said freshman Ava Puton.
In response to the concerns, Dr. Hynes has said that a TA would be added to the Sousa class with 27 students. The main issue preventing further action was the chaos that would ensue during class changes if they were made during the school year, and the budget required for an additional teacher. New classes have yet to be guaranteed for the 25-26 school year.
“Honestly, Sousa should have more classes…The amount of new kids coming to our schools is increasing,” said freshman Isabel Dong, a former Sousa student.
With regard to the Board’s decision to add a math teacher at Schreiber due to previous concerns, Ms. McLean expressed her gratitude. The seven math sections at Schreiber this year decreased class size from 28-30 to 24-25 students. These smaller classes make the classroom environment more comfortable for both teachers and students, and gives teachers the opportunity to provide more one-on-one help with students who may be struggling
“We are extremely fortunate to add a new math teacher this year. It has reduced our class sizes tremendously,” said chairperson of math department Dr. Bryan Gorman.
As the meeting progressed, a presentation was given on Infinite Campus, a database managing attendance, grades, and test scores. The site has influenced over 46 states and 9.9 million students, and has found success in over 100 districts in New York State.
Finally, New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent signing of a law into legislation requires districts to appoint at least one student ex officio as a member of the Board of Education. This law will take effect on Jul. 1, 2025. During the course of this year, the Board will discuss implementing the legislation.
Whether for better or for worse, new changes are sure to come to the PWUFSD this year, and we are excited to see what’s to come.