RCS projects stable enrollment, proposes not filling one retirement to protect Peter B. class sizes

District staff presented enrollment counts and section‑by‑section class sizes and outlined a staffing recommendation tied to an anticipated elementary retirement.

Jean (staff member) explained the district’s rollups from pre‑K through fifth grade and said primary (pre‑K–2) class sizes average in the mid‑teens but that intermediate (grades 3–5) counts are shifting because of smaller cohorts moving up. Jean noted a specific decrease of roughly 21 students projected in a fourth‑grade cohort at AW Becker and described an anticipated retirement at Peter B. "My proposal is we take that retirement and we don't fill it, but we keep the number of sections the same at Peter B so that their class sizes remain relatively the same," Jean said, explaining the plan would reassign a teacher from AW Becker to Peter B to avoid eliminating any position.

Why it matters: Board members said small class sizes are an instructional priority for younger learners, but several trustees urged caution because a nearby apartment project of about 76 family units could bring a faster influx of students than typical neighborhood growth. "There's a good potential for enough kids in there that we may need to have that flexibility for an additional section," one board member said.

Key details - Current primary averages: Jean presented primary (pre‑K–2) averages of roughly 16 students per class at AW Becker and slightly higher at Peter B based on this year's enrollment. - Impact of proposed staffing move: If the district does not fill the retirement and reassigns an existing teacher, Peter B’s sections would remain stable while AW Becker would reduce a section (proposed elimination at fourth grade), raising average class size there closer to 18. - Contingency and process: Jean advised the board that building‑level conversations and contract considerations would guide how a reassignment is handled if no teacher volunteers to move schools; principals and the teachers’ contract would be consulted.

Board discussion and concerns - Several members urged keeping budgeted funding to hold the position vacant rather than cutting it now, citing uncertainty about how quickly new apartments will be leased and which schools incoming families will choose. One board member said he preferred to leave the budgeted position unfilled rather than eliminate it and then try to repurchase it later. - Staff noted that enrollment fluctuations often balance over a school year as families move in and out, but the new apartment complex could change usual patterns because units are leased quickly and intended for families.

Ending: Staff asked for board direction and said they would continue to analyze registrations and work with principals and the union on any reassignment steps; trustees asked staff to preserve flexibility in the proposed budget to accommodate an enrollment surge.