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Silver Falls teachers urge board to prioritize class size, classroom conditions
Summary
Emily Rao, the newly elected president of the Silver Falls Education Association, told the board the district faces staffing churn, unusually large class sizes (including 41 students in AP psychology and 34 in some middle-school English classes) and heat/AC problems in some rooms, urging the board to consider classroom impacts when making budget and schedule decisions.
Emily Rao, who identified herself as the new president of the Silver Falls Education Association, addressed the board about working conditions for licensed staff and the consequential effects on students. Rao said most buildings have new principals this year and that teachers are sometimes assigned to grade levels they have not previously taught. She gave concrete class-size examples — "41 students currently in AP psych" and "34 students in a couple of our middle school English classes" — and warned that larger classes have not been matched with additional classified or licensed support.
Rao also described heat-related problems at some schools, saying she personally observed classroom temperatures reach about 82 degrees with high humidity, and said that added stressors like missing air conditioning and changed schedules make an already-difficult transition harder for staff and students. She urged trustees to "keep asking questions and looking at the whole picture" and to consider how board decisions ripple into day-to-day classroom conditions.
Board members acknowledged the remarks. The superintendent and board indicated they will continue to monitor staffing, enrollment and the district’s calendar and training schedules as they develop budget and operational plans.
