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High-school science teachers warn proposed cut to four teachers would imperil labs and advanced courses
Summary
A letter from the high-school science department read at public comment warned that reducing the department to four teachers for a campus of about 615 students would hinder required lab instruction (the letter cited a 40% lab-instruction expectation), threaten access to AP and lab courses, and raise safety concerns.
A representative of the high-school science department read a letter to the board opposing a recommendation to reduce the department to four science teachers. The letter says the campus serves approximately 615 students and lists core and advanced science courses (biology, pre-AP biology, chemistry, pre-AP chemistry, physics, pre-AP physics, environmental systems, AP environmental science, anatomy and physiology). It warns that, with four teachers, "it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to provide all required science courses while keeping class sizes at a manageable level."
The letter calls out laboratory safety and space constraints — noting lab supervision, equipment access and classroom design as limiting factors — and urges the district to reconsider staffing reductions, convene collaborative discussions and meet with representatives to resolve concerns. "After carefully reviewing the recommendation to reduce our department to 4 science teachers, we strongly believe that this plan is not sustainable and will significantly impact both student learning opportunities and classroom safety," the reading said verbatim.
Board members took the letter under advisement. The transcript does not record an immediate personnel decision or vote on the staffing recommendation; staff and parents requested a follow-up meeting.
