Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Deerfield parents urge District 109 to add kindergarten assistants, citing burnout and learning concerns
Summary
Parents at the Nov. 14 Deerfield District 109 board meeting urged immediate hires of full-time assistants in Walden Elementary kindergarten classrooms and the addition of a fifth section next school year, saying current class sizes strain teachers and leave some children behind. The superintendent described the district's process for staffing and offered follow-up steps.
Parents of Walden Elementary students pressed the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Board of Education on Nov. 14 to add full-time classroom assistants in kindergarten and to split large classes next year, saying current staffing levels are driving teacher burnout and harming student learning.
Kara Barris, a parent and educator, told the board that she met with school leaders and Superintendent Mike Simic but had seen no significant staffing changes. "You are willing to push teachers to their breaking points," Barris said, urging the board to "call a teacher" and hear firsthand how the class…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
