Parents of kindergarten students at Kingsley Elementary pressed the District 58 board on Sept. 8 to add classroom support after the district’s staffing update showed most classes meet board targets but some classrooms remain above them. Justin Sissel, who presented enrollment and staffing data, told the board that across kindergarten through grade 6 about 87% of classes meet the district’s class‑size targets; however, Kingsley’s kindergarten opened with 56 students (two sections) and the building reached an actionable staffing threshold in one class.

“Those positions are still in place,” Sissel said when asked whether increased FTE after the pandemic remain in the staffing model. Sissel told the board the district posted for an instructional assistant after Kingsley’s kindergarten showed a high count and that, as of the Friday before the meeting, the district had filled that role with an experienced certified teacher temporarily working as an instructional assistant "for the remainder of the school year." He said most middle‑school and elementary configurations are within plan but that middle school scheduling created several classes above targets this year.

A string of parents and educators who signed up for public comment urged faster or additional steps. Jordan DeLay said the district’s teachers are outstanding and asked the board to “invest in our youngest learners now and in the teachers who guide them,” adding, “A second instructional aid is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.” Other parents described safety and supervision concerns during transitions, reports of biting and hitting in classrooms, and the practical effects of having a small group of students assigned cubbies in a hallway because classrooms are full. Several speakers noted the difference between kindergarten readiness levels and the extra adult attention some students require.

Board members asked staff for additional detail about which middle‑school sections are above targets and what subjects are affected (math, ELA, specials) so the board can evaluate academic impact. Sissel said many of the higher middle‑school counts are in the mid‑ to high‑20s and that few sections exceed 30; he offered to provide a breakdown by subject and period to the board.

Superintendent Kevin Russell and board members acknowledged the parents’ concerns and reiterated the administration’s commitment to monitor and, where warranted, add supports mid‑year. Russell noted that the district typically adds support if individual classrooms demonstrate student needs that require it; Sissel said the district had done that in past years. No formal board vote took place; the administration reported the aide position was filled and said it will provide further enrollment and section‑by‑section data at upcoming meetings.