Freeport High proposes role increases, several reductions and scheduling work to balance class sizes

Jen, representing Freeport High School, told the board how prior budget support (a 0.5 science hire and a testing‑coordinator stipend) enabled course and testing capacity this year, and she outlined proposals for the coming year.

The school requested an increase in hours/days for the guidance secretary (the building’s registrar function) so the role is competitive and aligns to other building secretaries; the current employee is retiring. Jen said the position requires growing technical expertise to manage transcripts and scheduling.

To reduce costs, Freeport proposed three categories of reductions: (1) eliminate a 0.5 world‑language position (the department has experienced high turnover and one current staff member is covering an extra section), (2) eliminate a 0.5 English (ELA) position (the department would redistribute students across existing sections) and (3) reduce three general‑education ed‑tech positions that are currently vacant (positions include guided study hall, learning lab and a library ed‑tech). Jen said the school is working with a data specialist to rebalance sections using PowerSchool and other scheduling steps so that teachers teach five sections rather than six where possible.

She provided a detailed ELA breakdown: roughly 38 sections in semester 1 and 39 in semester 2 with average class sizes near 15–16 students; if the 0.5 ELA reduction occurs, Jen said the average increase would be about six students per teacher after rebalancing. The school also said some small elective sections could be combined to preserve course offerings while reducing total sections.

Board members asked about instructional impact. Jen said balancing sections and rotating some electives (offering certain courses on alternating years) are strategies to limit instructional harms. On a separate topic, a board member asked whether immigration‑enforcement concerns had affected students; Jen said she had met with staff and followed superintendent guidance and that Officer Murray is presented to students as a trusted adult in the building.

The board did not act on Freeport’s proposed staffing changes at this meeting; course registration data in April will inform final decisions during budget deliberations.