PETITION TO SAVE SYCAMORE VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S KINDERGARTEN SLIP SCHEDULE 

I.  Introduction: The District Eliminated the Kindergarten Slip Schedule, but this Should be a Site Decision. 

     The San Ramon Valley Unified School District ("SRVUSD") recently eliminated the slip schedule for all kindergarten programs next school year 2022-2023.  Once eliminated, it may not come back.  This will directly harm our future kindergartners’ abilities to read, write, and practice phonics in small groups.  It is undisputed that children learn best in small groups.  (See, e.g., Frederick Mosteller, The Tennessee Study of Class Size in the Early School Grades, Vol. 5, No. 2, The Future of Children, pages 113-127, Summer/Fall 1995, available at https://edsource.org/wp-content/uploads/old/STAR.pdf.) After two years of a pandemic and its damaging effects on children, SRVUSD should not be making a broad decision to eliminate small group instruction for kindergarten programs.  This petition is for the kindergarten slip schedule to remain a site decision.

II.  Sycamore Relies on a Kindergarten Slip Schedule for Small Class Sizes.

     As background, Sycamore Valley Elementary School's ("Sycamore") current slip schedule allows half of the kindergarteners in each of its three kindergarten classes to attend school from 8:00 am to 11:30 am (“Early Sharks”) and the other half to attend from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm (“Late Sharks”), except on Wednesdays when students attend at the same time.  In general, the Early Sharks practice reading, writing, and phonics with their assigned teacher from 8:00 am - 9:00 am, while the Late Sharks do the same from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm.  Sycamore’s student to teacher ratio for these small groups is approximately 13:1.  

III.  Equity is Not Served by Taking Away Small Class Sizes.

     Sycamore has utilized a slip schedule for kindergarteners for the last 11 years.  Why the change now?  According to Executive Director of Elementary Educational Services, Nadine Rosenzweig (“Director Rosenzweig”) and Principal Sylvie Bullard (“Principal Bullard”), a major concern is “equity” across all 22 elementary schools in the district and the need to preserve space for expanding Transitional Kindergarten (“TK”) classes.  (See SRVUSD Strategic Directions website: https://www.srvusd.net/strategicdirections) (equity is one of six values, including shared leadership, culture of responsiveness, social emotional well-being, deep learning and innovation, and stewardess of resources).   

     Yet, “equity" is not a justification for taking away our future kindergarteners’ small class sizes. Equity means an equal playing field of learning for all kids, giving them the equal opportunity of academic success.  Slip schedule provides this equity by giving individual learners more time and attention from their teacher as required.  Taking away slip schedule inhibits the equity of some kids in this circumstance.  

     Whether or not other SRVUSD schools have used or are able to use slip schedules should have no bearing on Sycamore’s ability to use the slip schedule to reduce kindergarten class sizes.  Education is not a zero sum game, but rather, the more educated students are, the more value they will add to society as a whole.  Put simply, “You don’t have to blow out someone else’s candles for your light to shine”.  The more support we provide to all children in learning how to read and write, the better.   

IV.  The Expansion of Transitional Kindergarten Does Not Currently Affect Sycamore.

     Sycamore is fortunate to have the space to continue its slip schedule next year.  Although SRVUSD is expanding TK classes in the next few years, potentially affecting other schools' space considerations with regard to slip schedules, there is currently only one TK class at Sycamore and no plans to add an additional TK class for academic year 2022-2023.  We should not unnecessarily subject our future kindergarteners to larger class sizes for the mere possibility that TK enrollment will expand at Sycamore in the academic years 2023-2024 and beyond. 

V.  Larger Class Sizes Would Require Additional Funding and/or Additional Parent Volunteers. 

     Without the slip schedule, Sycamore’s future kindergartners would be worse off.  Every day of the week, all children would attend from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, making the student to teacher ratios 26:1 instead of 13:1 for reading, writing, and phonics lessons.  According to Director Rosenzweig, the burden to formulate a plan to reduce reading, writing, and phonics group sizes would ultimately fall on Principal Bullard and the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support liaison(s).  There is currently no full-time paraprofessional(s) to assist kindergarten teachers, so it is possible Sycamore’s Education Fund could be used for this and/or parents would need to fundraise.  The current plan is for the existing paraprofessional to add 8 hours a week into her schedule, but that’s not enough to support our kindergarten teachers and students.  Kindergarteners may need to rotate through all kindergarten teachers and paraprofessionals, from different grades, for smaller group instruction three days a week for half hour increments.  Additionally, Sycamore would utilize stations dependent on parent volunteers to reinforce reading skills.  Yet, many parents work and have neither the training nor the time to teach our students.

VI.  Sycamore Kindergarten Teachers are in Favor of the Kindergarten Slip Schedule.

     Who has the best knowledge of how kindergarten classes at Sycamore function?  Our teachers, of course.  Sycamore kindergarten teachers agree that the slip schedule should remain a site decision.  Unfortunately, their voices were not heard when the SRVUSD negotiated with its union partners to eliminate the kindergarten slip schedule. 

     According to Mrs. Janine Koeltl, “The most productive part of the instructional day is during the hour that I have a slip schedule. I have 14 in the first group and 12 in the second group. I teach reading daily and sometimes either writing or math during this small group time. It is an instrumental part of my kindergarten program and the small group time is so valuable. It is time to start raising the bar instead of going backwards and taking things away. Eliminating slip reading is not what is best for kids.  I have sent emails to the following people [Superintendent John Malloy, Director Rosenzweig, and Board Members] asking them to allow slip reading to remain a site-based decision. Here at Sycamore we have the space to continue to have a slip schedule.” 

     Additionally, Mrs. Kelly Baylies commented that, “Equity is reached when one is providing students individualized tools needed to be successful. Slip scheduling allows us the opportunity to provide this due to the reduced teacher to student ratio allowing us the opportunity to provide each student the individualized interventions needed.”  

VII.  Parent Signatures are Needed to Stand for Our Kids.

     The following parent testimonials are intended to demonstrate the importance of the Sycamore kindergarten slip schedule.  Unfortunately, parents were not surveyed and/or provided notice and opportunity to comment on this slip schedule issue prior to any decision-making, hence the need for this petition.  

     As a mom of three young children, including an Early Shark in Mrs. Koeltl's class and two future Sharks, my hope is for all of our kids to thrive in school and receive as much individualized attention as possible.  I have witnessed the beneficial effects of small class sizes on my Early Shark’s social emotional well-being, as well as her reading and writing skills.  I believe small class sizes are especially important for my multi-racial children to gain confidence in themselves and their relationships with other people so that they may thrive academically and do good in this world.

                          -Laura Cox, Esq., Co-Author of this Petition

     As a mom experiencing public school for the first time this year, I watched my Early Shark in Mrs. Baylies’ class grow and thrive in her excitement for learning phonics and writing.  The benefit of a smaller class ratio for reading, writing, and phonics is evident in our daughter’s self-confidence while reading to us and in her creative writing skills.  She has reported numerous 1:1 positive connections with Mrs. Baylies during phonics and writing, and my hope is that every Sycamore kindergartener for this coming year and beyond will be able to experience the positive opportunities for individualized learning that the slip schedule allows.  

                                -Brittney Page, Co-Author of this Petition 

     The slip schedule makes a big difference, especially for kids like my daughter (who has current Individualized Education Program, or special education services).  As most of you know, my daughter has mild to moderate hearing loss.  For kids like her, the slip schedule is going to have a greater impact.  I believe if all parents voice their opinion, we can keep small class sizes at Sycamore.

                                       -Avi Bandaranaike

     Parents, please sign this petition for the kindergarten slip schedule to remain a site decision.  Please stand with us as we stand up for what is right for our kids.  The decision to take away Sycamore’s kindergarten slip schedule next year 2022-2023 should be reversed, and in the future, all interested parents should be surveyed and/or provided notice and opportunity to comment on these important issues.