Classes packed at Northwood, for years to come

[dkemom2]

Average Course Size
The average number of students enrolled in the courses below at the time of testing.

   
Subject:       English I     Algebra I    Algebra II    Geometry   Biology    Chemistry    Physical Science  Physics    Civics   US History

Northwood:      23            20               28                22            25           27                  28               20         26         25
District:           17            12              26                15            22           23                   20                18         21         20

State:             19            20              20                19            19           19                   18                15         19         19




EVERY class is above the state average.  Just look at the district average difference.  Yet, the BOE won't redistrict.
These are LAST YEARS numbers, they are even higher now.  My son has 32 in his PreCalc. class. 30+ in my daughters Spanish Class.
This is an unfair situation.

We have worked hard to reduce numbers in the lower grades in recent years and yet the same kids (yes, MINE) who had 30 in their kindergardens have these numbers in high school also.  They are also cursed with being the NCLB ginea pigs along with the disasterous idea of Whole Language LA instruction.

And this is why I tell you...DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS TO NORTHWOOD if you have another option.

Prospective teachers check these numbers too and class size has a lot to do with recruitment of quality teachers.  How we manage to have and hold on to the ones we have shows true dedication.

It's only going to get worse before it gets better. 

[VAHeel]

25+ is algebra II or Precalc is way, way too many, and I'm speaking from personal experience.

[dkemom2]

And that's why once again, I'm paying out of pocket, third year in a row, for a math tutor.

I can do that, but how many others just "don't get it".  The class is very hard to control. 

SOMETHING must be done....but I know it won't.  I've gone to the BOE enough with this issue to know it's not going to change.
So this is my outlet.

 

[whatsup]

Will things improve with the Northwood renovations?

[dkemom2]

I don't think it will affect class size.

That something that has to be dealt with on a county level by funding more teaching positions.

While it will add a much needed science lab, the renovations are more about making space available for sports like wrestling and aerobics, larger space for Art and Band but really not adding to the amount of teaching space.
There will be renovations done to the cafeteria/dining area THIS summer that will improve time in that space.  Right now there are four lunches.

The gym remodel isn't going to happen this year, as planned, but it will do nothing to add space, again it is creating a safer entrance to the gym with bathrooms and concession stand so fans do not wander inside the building, as they do now.

While all these things are overdue and appreciated, I don't think they will address over crowded classrooms.

[Silk_Hope]

I understand the need for sports and other extra activities like band etc in the schools but here is a case where the classrooms should have been the #1 priority to upgrade. Children go to school to learn first and foremost and the extra curricular activities are second.

It is a shame that areas to the South of Pittsboro have not been redistricted towards Chatham Central. I know that the feeder schools have a lot to do with it and the bus travel time.

[girlfrompbo]

at the same time whats the point of creating new classroom spaces if the county can't fund the teachers to put into them?

If we could afford to hire new teachers there are many ways to maximize the space available to create more class sections.  I'm not familiar enough with Northwood anymore to know if they're using any of those methods already.

and, just because this is one of my pet peeves, band is not an "extra-curricular activity."  Instrumental music (like all of the arts) is an important discipline with a standard course of study just like any other subject in NC schools and is supported as a core subject by the federal NCLB act.  Students in band are absolutely being taught a curriculum that includes not only a wide variety of subjects in music but also integrates other subjects, higher level thinking and character development. To say that its "extra-curricular" implies that it is outside the curriculum which it is certainly not, since there is a state standard course of study for music.

[Silk_Hope]

It may be a pet peeve and I can respect that. Personally I have no interest in sports or music and never participated in them in high school or college. I didn't even go to watch the games because to me sports is boring. I still do not watch sports to this day.

It is all a matter of perspective.

[girlfrompbo]

sports and music are not comparable.  Sports has no curriculum or state and national standards.  Music does.

It is not a matter of perspective or opinion.  It is a fact that music is not extra-curricular.  You may not be interested in music and that's fine, but it doesn't change the facts.

[busymom]

and, just because this is one of my pet peeves, band is not an "extra-curricular activity."  Instrumental music (like all of the arts) is an important discipline with a standard course of study just like any other subject in NC schools and is supported as a core subject by the federal NCLB act.  Students in band are absolutely being taught a curriculum that includes not only a wide variety of subjects in music but also integrates other subjects, higher level thinking and character development. To say that its "extra-curricular" implies that it is outside the curriculum which it is certainly not, since there is a state standard course of study for music.

Hear Hear!
(Says a former band geek  )

[Silk_Hope]

Unfortunately music and art programs seem to be cut first, sports never seems to be touched.

[girlfrompbo]

Mostly because sports often bring in money.  It has nothing to do with which is academically valid.

Fortunately for us our arts programs in the county are healthy and growing, especially at Northwood.

[munn5]

There will be a net increase in classrooms after the expansion - I don't have my notes, but I think it is 6 classrooms. That won't help the science class sizes (because they aren't labs), but should be able to help some of the other classes.

Another issue, which I heard about from a Northwood teacher, is that they are trying to limit the number of preps a teacher has, which results in fewer sections of some courses. If you have one fewer section of Algebra II each semester (for example), then those 20 kids have to go into other sections - if there are 4 other sections, each one of them increases from 20 to 24. I'm all in favor of teachers having fewer preps, but with only 4 classes a day, by definition the most a teacher has is 4 preps (excepting EC teachers). There needs to be a balance between student class size, teacher preferences for classes they teach, and the number of preps teachers has.  It sounds like perhaps that balance needs to be adjusted.

[girlfrompbo]

I've never taught on the block schedule but 3 preps seems reasonable to me.  Maybe someone else like VAHeel can weigh in and tell us what she thinks.

[VAHeel]

Four preps is a LOT, I have three and it's killer.

More classrooms doesn't mean smaller classes unless they also hire more teachers, which I doubt they will.

They do not cancel a section of Algebra II just to keep teachers from having more preps, or at least I seriously doubt it.  If I"m teaching AP Stat and Precalculus, they're not going to add another section of either of those just to prevent me from having an extra prep, that's not the way it works.

Three preps is a lot, and your child, in my opinion, is going to get a better education from a teacher who has 1 or 2 preps instead.  I don't think 3 is unreasonable, though, and I don't think that's the source of larger classes.

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