Ridgefield News
May 24, 1999
School Board Reduces Class Sizes
School Board Reduces Second Grade Class Size By 20%
May 24 -- The Board of Education tonight voted to reduce class sizes for the town's second grade classes from 26 students per class to a maximum of 21. The 21-pupil limit will go into effect when the new elementary school is built. The reduction in class size was consistent with recommendations from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ralph Wallace and Ridgefield Schools curriculum expert Pat Michaels. The vote was 4-3 in favor of the smaller second grade classes. Democratic school board member Bob Opotzner, who has been advocating smaller elementary classes, said, "Smaller class sizes is an obvious need for students... at that age." Opotzner, joined by fellow Democratic board member Kitty Fischer, supported a similar class size reduction for the third grade, consistent with Dr. Wallace's recommendation, but that motion failed on a 3-4 vote.
A move to include extended day kindergarten as part of the plan for the new school was defeated in tonight's meeting. That vote was 2-4 against the extended sessions. BOE member Opotzner, who has been advocating the enhanced kindergarten, had defended the move as consistent with Ridgefield's goal of being a world class school system.
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