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North Adams' Brayton School Running Out of RoomBy Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
11:44PM / Tuesday, February 07, 2012
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — School officials are trying to find ways to relieve pressure on classrooms at Brayton Elementary School that has staff and pupils packed "like sardines."
The school has four preschool teachers and eight sessions (morning and afternoon) that feed into four full-time kindergarten classes, which feed into three full-time first and second grades, and two third grades. The three grade levels are now averaging 25 pupils in each class compared to 16-18 at the other schools.
"We've juggled teachers around depending on the class size before," said Superintendent James Montepare at Monday's School Committee meeting. "It's harder to do it this year for a variety reasons ... space is one of the major issues, finances are the other issues."
The best solution would be to add on three teachers and three classrooms, but there's no space for classrooms and no money for three new teachers, this year or next.
To get by, teaching assistants and other support personnel have been helping, but that's adding bodies into already crowded spaces, "like packing sardines into a can," said Montepare.
The superintendent said he had no immediate solution but something would have to be done by next fall. In the meantime, officials will looking at the local census numbers to determine whether the increase in children is a growing population or a limited "bump."
Incoming pupils with no experience in the system are being shifted to the other schools whenever possible to help ease the situation. Children are also being grouped at times in other areas, such as the library, for tutoring and programs.
Among the possibilities for reducing class size are redistricting by sending children to Sullivan and Greylock elementary schools, adding a teacher and combining grades or having parents volunteer to switch schools. Montepare was leery of redistricting now because of the expected school project, which could mean major changes in the future, and transportation issues. Redistricting could also be disruptive for the children, he said.
School Committee member Mary Lou Acetta recalled how she had been redistricted from the former Freeman School to Johnson School for a year because of population changes. "It was devastating," she said
Vice Chairwoman Heather Boulger volunteered to chair a task force to explore options. Montepare said any suggestions were welcome.
"I don't have a solution to the problem but we are looking at everything," said Montepare.
In other business, the committee approved the use of the Drury High School gym by East Coast Marketing Group for an Aerosmith tribute concert to benefit the Police Association on Saturday, April 7, and by Michael Meczywor for the North Adams Boys' Basketball League tournament on Feb. 18 and 19.
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Tags: Brayton School, overcrowding,
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