Big Hollow looking to relocate some grades

Big Hollow School District 38's second- and fifth-grade classes will shift buildings for the 2008-09 school year, under a proposal unveiled Monday night.

Second-graders in the Ingleside-area district will attend class at the elementary school campus. They're at the district's primary school now.

Fifth-graders will bump up to the middle school. They're at the elementary school now.

The changes are among several moves designed to reduce class sizes. An estimated 13 additional classroom teachers will be brought on board in the fall, too, if the plan is implemented as presented by Superintendent Ron Pazanin.

Despite moving to the middle school campus, the fifth-graders would not switch to a traditional middle school curriculum, Pazanin said.

The board took no formal action on the plan Monday, but members said the administration should proceed with the hiring process.

About 35 residents attended Monday's meeting, and a few voiced concerns about the proposed relocation of the fifth-grade classes. In response, board President Vickie Gallichio said the plans aren't written in stone.

"We will take everyone's concerns under consideration," she said. "The board needs a starting point."

The changes are needed to accommodate additional classes at nearly every level in the district, which serves kindergartners through eighth-graders but also has an early education program.

Music, art and computer classes will be reinstated under the plan, too, Pazanin said. Students also will attend gym class more often, he said.

The additional classes -- and the teachers to be hired for them -- were made possible last month when residents approved a 54-cent tax-rate increase. That will pay for a $10 million loan officials say will boost the district's education fund, which covers teacher salaries, supplies and other expenditures.

Under the plan, class sizes in the second grade will drop the most, from nearly 32 students on average to about 21. Average class size in the fourth grade will drop from 35 students to 25.

Under the plan, the second grade would get the most additional classroom teachers, 3. The first, fourth and fifth grades each would get two new teachers. The third, sixth, seventh and eighth grades each would get one additional teacher.

No new kindergarten teachers are called for.

New teachers will be needed for the reinstated music, art and other special classes, too, Pazanin said.