PWUFSD Board of Education Trustees and Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michael Hynes,

We, the undersigned Parents of Sousa Students, write to express our collective concern regarding the large class sizes in the current fourth-grade cohort. We recognize and deeply appreciate the dedication and excellence of our teachers, and we believe that the current class sizes significantly limit their ability to provide the individualized attention and support that our children need to thrive.

Specifically, we are concerned for:

Classroom management and instruction: With the current class sizes, teachers face the challenge of managing a large group while ensuring that each child receives the attention necessary for effective learning. This inevitably leads to increased stress on both teachers and students, impacting the quality of education.

Student engagement and support: Larger classes make it difficult for teachers to engage each student fully and address their unique needs. Not having the bandwidth to differentiate students can lead to problems at every level of learning. Students who require additional support can easily fall behind and face increasing learning deficits. Students with the ability to meet grade-level expectations may not have the opportunity to meet these expectations with limited teacher resources. Students who require challenges and additional enrichment can easily go unrecognized.

Teacher workload: The current situation places an undue burden on our teachers, who are already doing their best under challenging circumstances. Without adequate support, there is a risk of burnout, which could further affect the learning environment.

Equity in our district: Larger class sizes are especially detrimental to students from underserved communities, who already face additional barriers to academic success. Without adequate attention and resources, these students are at greater risk of falling further behind, deepening the already existent systemic achievement gaps.

In light of these concerns, we request the following:

Addition of Teaching Assistants (TAs): We urge the district to immediately assign a TA to each of the four Sousa fourth-grade classes. This support would allow teachers to better manage their classrooms and provide more individualized attention to students, thereby enhancing the overall learning experience.

Commitment to create an additional class section for the 25/26 academic year: We strongly advocate for the addition of a fifth section next school year, for the cohort of students currently in 4th Grade at Sousa. This would help to reduce class sizes to a more manageable level, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to receive the quality education they deserve.

Revision of class size policy: We request a comprehensive review and revision of the district’s current class size policy, with the goal of establishing smaller class sizes across all grades. This should be guided by NYS class size reduction legislation passed in 2022 which requires schools in New York City to reduce their class sizes to no more than 20 students in grades K-3 and no more than 23 students in grades 4-8. Further, the BOE and Superintendent must commit that no grade level shall start a school year with its sections already at policy class size maximums, given the likelihood of mid-year matriculation.

We trust that the district will recognize the urgency of this matter and take the necessary steps to address our concerns. Our children's education and our teachers’ well being is top priority, and we believe that these changes are essential for both.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.