Spike In Student Population At Guilford School Draws Concerns

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD, CT – An unexpected spike in the 3rd grade class size at the Calvin Leete School has a group of parents concerned and school officials monitoring the situation. At the most recent Board of Education meeting, Christy Mills spoke to the board stating she was representing a group of parents with the same concerns about class size.

Currently there are two teachers instructing 47 3rd grade students at Calvin Leete.

School board Chairman William Bloss acknowledged that the number of students per teacher was at the “high end.”

Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman, too, acknowledged the issue. Freeman said while overall class average for Kindergarten-4th grade is about the same across the district, there has been an increase from 39 to 47 students in the 3rd grade class at Calvin Leete.

Freeman said the spike in class size happened after the budget was adopted for the year. He added the ongoing uncertainty with the state budget situation – and what impact that may eventually have on Guilford school funding – hasn’t helped.