Residents urge board to add teachers as grade‑school enrollment jumps

Three members of the public told the board that growing class sizes are straining teachers and students and urged the district to use increased enrollment funding to restore positions.

"Last year... Winthrop grade school had 371 students. Now this year, I just learned tonight, it's over 420," parent Amelia Arnold said, citing a roughly 14% increase and arguing the district should invest added funds in classroom teachers rather than cutting positions. Amanda Levac and substitute teacher Tricia Hitz Lafountain gave similar accounts of teacher fatigue and classrooms reaching the low twenties.

Board members responded by asking administrators to model the cost of adding at least one teacher at the grade school. Tim asked for a per‑student cost comparison to neighboring districts; the superintendent said the budget team would prepare figures. No formal budget decision was made at the meeting; the board asked staff to return with cost and scheduling options for consideration at a future meeting.