Class sizes average about 23 students in U.F. school
Population seems to be evenly dispersed through grades K-8
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

ALLENTOWN - The Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education took a look at class sizes in the school district at its last meeting.

Interim Superintendent of Schools Robert Smith said on Oct. 18 that elementary and middle school class size information is straightforward, as students are in class groupings and receive instruction in those groupings for much of the day.

In kindergarten and first grade, there is an average of 21.5 students per class. The average in grade two is 22.7 students; in grade three, it is 22.5 students; in grade four, it is 22.2 students; in grade five, it is 22.3; in grade six, it is 22.7 and in both seventh and eighth grade, it is 23.6 students, according to Smith.

Board member Jeanette Bressi said that growth in the student population seems to be evenly dispersed among the Upper Freehold Elementary/Middle School population, but board President Joseph Stampe noted that there seems to be a bubble in the fifth grade.

There are 129 students in first grade; 133 students in second; 135 students in third; 133 students in fourth; 156 students in fifth; 136 students in sixth; and 118 students in both seventh and eighth grade.

The total enrollment in the elementary/middle school as of last month, including kindergarten and prekindergarten, was 1,211 students.

Elementary/middle school Principal Miriam Peluso said that over the years, the district has made the right decisions to add sections to grades where needed.

"I see larger numbers than I would like to see in kindergarten," she said, adding that she has no idea how many children will register for kindergarten next year.

Currently, there are 69 students in the morning kindergarten session and 61 students in the afternoon one. Twenty-three students attend the prekindergarten program.

Class sizes in Allentown High School are more difficult to analyze due to a number of factors, according to Smith. He said there are variations in course requirements, popularity, rigor and demands, safety and equipment, and remedial sections.

Class sizes this semester at AHS range from eight students in Pre-Advanced Placement Spanish to 33 students in a Spanish I class.

Courses with a high number of students include the three psychology sections with an average of 29.3 students per class; French III with 30 students; the four sections of English II with an average of 26.5 students; and the four sections of Latin I with an average of 29.5 students.

More courses with a high number of students include the five sections of Spanish III with an average of 27 students; Journalism I with 27 students; the three sections of Spanish I with an average of 32 students; and Research and Themes with 29 students.

Courses with relatively low numbers of students include Survey Literature/Expository Writing with 15 students; French I with 15; French V Honors with 11 students; Fundamentals of Geometry with 11; Modern European History with 12 students; Advance Placement English with 12; and Advanced Placement English Language with 15 students.

Smith said the world languages department at AHS had the largest student increases with an average of 1.6 additional students in each class.

AHS students have block scheduling with 90 minutes allotted per class. Smith said that in a class of 30 students, an individual will only get three minutes per day with a teacher. He said this is a budget and staffing priority.