Class size an issue for third grade

The third-graders at Lake Louise School in Palatine are casualties of what officials call this year's anomaly.

While Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 aims to cap third-grade classes at 24 students, at least 30 students currently crowd each of Lake Louise's three sections.

"These kids are going to be deprived of valuable interaction with their teachers," said Sally Smith, the parent of a Lake Louise third-grader.

On Wednesday, Smith presented the Board of Education with a petition signed by more than 350 parents asking the district to add another third-grade teacher and cap class size at 20 percent above targets.

Those measures are highly unlikely, according to Assistant Superintendent James Garwood.

"This happens every year," he said. "It's the nature of where the numbers fall and where staff is available."

An influx of 10 new third-graders enrolled at Lake Louise since late summer registration. Other grades, said Garwood, got one or two.

Still, the cramped classes meet targets, at least according to guidelines established by the Board of Education three years ago.

The district, which serves more than 12,000 students, aims for an overall average class size of 24 students in grades one through three; 26 students in grades four through six; and 28 students in junior high.

At Lake Louise, where much smaller first-grade classes offset bloated third-grade numbers, the average class size in the primary grades is 23.9 students.

"Using the target is a start," said Lake Louise parent Beth Sabin. "But if you have classes 29 percent over or 32 percent under the target, something's not working."

Added parent Mary Daumen: "The current guidelines ... seem to leave no room for any unusual contingencies."

How teachers are divvied among grades is left to principals and staff. The district only decides the total number of teachers at each building.

In Lake Louise's case, Principal Adam Palmer and his staff opted to go with four sections in both first and second grades.

"The historical preference is to keep the earliest grades smaller," said Garwood, "We believe in early intervention."

Because the board isn't likely to approve hiring even an inexperienced teacher to the tune of $55,000 in salary and benefits, Lake Louise is supplementing its third-grade classes with existing staff.

An aid, reading specialist and other program assistants spend additional time in the rooms. Advanced students join fourth-graders for math. The school also offers an extra hour of free after-school instruction four days a week.

"It's not always what parents want but educationally we find needs are being met," said Garwood.

The board will discuss the issue at their Oct. 15 meeting.