New afternoon teaching aides are being added to kindergarten classes at Seaford Manor School in response to parent concerns about large class sizes this fall.
The Seaford Board of Education approved the new aides at its Thursday night meeting. The three Seaford Manor School kindergarten classes, which all number in the high 20's, have previously just had a morning aide to assist the teachers. The district was not able to add an extra kindergarten section due having to cut back on expenses after being forced to a contingency budget for the 2011/12 school year following two failed votes.
Seaford Superintendent of Schools Brian Conboy said during Thursday night's meeting that funding for the aides will come from the existing 2012/13 operating budget.
During the summer months, parents expressed concerns about 26 students being too large a setting for kindergarten students for one teacher and a half-day aid. Last year when kindergarten enrollment at Seaford Manor School was far lower, class sizes were under 20.
The Seaford Harbor School began the 2012/13 school year with 84 kindergartners students and four classes averaging around 21 enrolled students.
