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Board declines to add second-grade teacher after debate over class sizes and supports
Summary
After extended public comment and board discussion about second‑grade class sizes and available support staff, the Jersey Shore Area School District board decided not to hire an additional teacher for 2025–26 and approved personnel items listed on the agenda.
Bob Fox, a resident and former teacher, urged the board during public comment to hire an additional second‑grade teacher, citing Pennsylvania Department of Education recommendations and district enrollment figures; he argued an extra teacher would reduce class sizes and help intensive reading instruction.
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Ulmer presented four options the district considered for the impacted school (add a teacher; add a pair of professional support staff; maintain five sections; or move students to another building). He also outlined current support assigned to the K–3 grade band at the school: a learning support teacher and assistant assigned to K–2, an emotional/autistic support teacher and assistant assigned to K–2, three-and-a-half Title I reading specialists and two Title I reading assistants dedicated to K–3.
Board members debated competing priorities: several members, including Mary Thomas and another board member, argued hiring a teacher would give teachers and students more capacity for individualized reading support in a critical learning window; others, including board members who cited the superintendent’s direct work with teachers and the district’s existing support staff, favored the superintendent’s recommendation to not add a teacher.
After discussion, the board chair announced, “it looks like at this time, we're not gonna go the direction of adding a teacher for this upcoming year.” The decision was followed by moving on to personnel items on the agenda.
The board did not adopt a formal resolution to hire a teacher and gave staff direction to continue monitoring enrollment and supports. Several board members asked staff to provide future enrollment updates and to revisit classroom assignments if numbers change.
