Readers debate growing enrollment, class sizes and an ever-increasing school budget.
Parents spoke at the past two Board of Education meeting to request an additional first grade teacher at Southern Boulevard School for the 2011-12 academic year. At the July 18 meeting, Heather Turnbull submitted a petition with 71 signatures collected from an online petition favoring another teacher at Chatham Township's elementary school. Since that time six more people have signed the petition, bringing the total to 77 as of Sunday night. Most of the signatures are from New Jersey (the towns are not displayed) but other signators include Jennifer Curtis of Mississippi, Sally Aliano from California, Tami Mendoza of California and Dena Harris of Georgia. International signers include Ijaz Khan of Saudi Arabia, Patrick Whyte of the United …
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-74.434493
Board of Education: School District of the Chathams
58 Meyersville Rd, Chatham, NJ
/articles/first-grade-teacher-contested-in-patch-comments
33823
/locations/4924999
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-74.41381
Southern Boulevard Elementary School
192 Southern Blvd, Chatham, NJ
/articles/first-grade-teacher-contested-in-patch-comments
33881
/locations/4925000
The petition has signatures from 70 families, according to resident Heather Turnbull.
About a half-dozen Chatham residents appeared at the Monday night Board of Education meeting to ask the board once again to hire an additional first grade teacher at Southern Boulevard School. Heather Turnbull, of Dale Drive in Chatham Township, spoke on behalf of those parents gathered and reiterated evidence that 20 students in a first grade class is "optimal" for early education and development. With 113 first grade students currently registered at Southern Boulevard School for the fall, the number of students per classroom will be 22 or 23. Two weeks ago, the projection was for 23 or 24 students in each classroom. "The numbers remain essentially the same [from the last meeting," Turnbull said, with 113 registered students. "We're just …
40.70433
-74.434493
Board of Education: School District of the Chathams
58 Meyersville Rd, Chatham, NJ
/articles/petition-submitted-for-additional-first-grade-teacher
33823
/locations/4917123
Captain Jack
3:37 pm on Friday, July 22, 2011
Mrs. Turnbull's tone could certainly be construed as demanding. Simply another example of some of the pushy entitled and righteous parents that seem to feel they know everything. more ›