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Parent group tells board Mary Feuser classrooms reaching 37–40 students; asks for more teachers and aides
Summary
A parent representing 31 families told the board that classroom sizes at Mary Feuser are as high as 37–40 students, far above state guideline ratios; she asked the district to hire more teachers and aides and to perform a district‑wide class‑size review.
During public comment, a parent identified as Stephanie Sokolix told the board she represented 31 parents from Mary Feuser and said classroom sizes have reached nearly 40 students per class, creating behavioral and instructional challenges.
Sokolix said the large class sizes have left teachers “burnt out and exhausted” and make individualized instruction and behavioral management difficult. “Class sizes this large create environments that are incredibly disruptive,” she said, asking the board to hire additional teachers and aides for Mary Feuser, especially the fifth grade, and to perform a district‑wide evaluation of class sizes.
She noted that while some district reports show an average student‑teacher ratio near 16:1, Mary Feuser classrooms were reportedly “pushing 37 to 1 to 40 to 1.” Sokolix referenced Indiana guidelines cited in her remarks: funding ratios of 24:1 for kindergarten through sixth grade and 25:1 for grades six through 12, and she said parents had not received the required notification when class sizes exceed those limits.
The board did not take action during public comment. Trustees acknowledged the concern and said the district would follow up, noting earlier statements in the meeting that staff would provide accurate information on class sizes and related staffing questions.
