USD 410 hires half-time teacher after special meeting years ago
Staff writer
Unified School District 410 Board of Education held a special meeting Friday morning to address fourth grade class sizes. According to Evan Yoder, Hillsboro Elementary School principal, 49 students have enrolled in the fourth grade for the 2004-05 school year. When the board eliminated one of the fourth and fifth grade classes in April, they agreed that the class size should not exceed 24 students.
According to Yoder, there will be nine new students in the fourth grade this year sending the total higher than expected.
"It may change throughout the year, and it's as likely to go down to 48 as to go up to 52 students," said Gordon Mohn, superintendent.
The board discussed staffing options including continuing with two teachers, adding an instructional aid in both classes, adding an additional full-time teacher, or adding a half-time teacher. The fourth option, adding a half-time teacher, was agreed upon by the board to be the best option.
The half-time position offered the board the lowest cost option outside of making no change at all. The students will be divided into three sections for reading and math. This is the same arrangement as in the third grade. Julie Linnens fills the third grade position and is willing to take on the fourth grade assignment, according to Yoder.
"Parents seemed pleased with how it was arranged in the third grade," said Mohn.
The board agreed that Linnens is familiar with the district's curriculum and instruction in reading and math and familiar with the class since she taught half-time in the third grade last year.
"It's the easiest, seamless way to go," said board member Rod Koons.
Linnen's half-time contract now is paid from title money, and according to Mohn, the entire full-time salary can come from title money.
