Parents urge BVSD board to protect teachers and avoid 33-student classes at Fireside

At the May 27 meeting of the Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 board, parents used public comment to urge trustees to protect classroom staffing and to make budget decisions with greater transparency.

Carrie Cornejo, who identified herself as a Fireside parent and a neighboring-district educator, asked the board to "prioritize full transparency regarding how funds are allocated and spent" and to avoid cuts that directly impact students. She said "a class size of 33 or larger is not conducive to an equitable education," adding that many Fireside students continue to experience trauma from the Marshall Fire and COVID disruptions.

Megan McGee, a parent and former teacher, said she was disappointed the district proposed eliminating a fourth-grade teacher at Fireside. She warned that larger classes would mean less one-on-one time, more behavior management, more work for teachers and fewer opportunities to meet social-emotional needs. "Increasing class sizes isn't as simple as adding more chairs in a classroom," McGee said.

Trustees responded by acknowledging the comments and offering to meet individually with concerned families to walk through the budget book and staffing allocations. Several trustees said they empathize and emphasized that many budget levers are limited by negotiated agreements and declining enrollment; they invited commenters to review the district's detailed budget book and to attend the June 17 board meeting when the proposed budget will be considered again.

No personnel reversals or formal board actions were announced at the meeting. The record shows the board plans follow-up outreach and additional budget presentations in June.