Board approves class size waiver

The Weatherford ISD Board of Trustees approved submitting a class size exception waiver at its regular meeting on Sept. 9.

The meeting featured Austin Elementary School and its principal, Kendall Berry,, and it was that campus that spurred the waiver request in fourth grade classrooms.

“We are over the 22 to one requirement in three of those five classrooms, and so we're asking to approve, allowing us to apply for a class size exemption waiver,” Superintendent Dr. Beau Rees told the board. “Talking toKendall, and you may speak to this at this point, that grade level campus would prefer to not add a additional teacher, but perhaps an aide to help.”

Rees pointed out that the state requires an application for a waiver if class sizes exceed the 22-student limit. Despite the waiver application, he said, the district could still have the option of adding a teacher if it was deemed necessary.

Board member Jeff Ford was reticent to approve the waiver request.

“”I’m 100% against exceeding the class size,” Ford said. “I'm married to a fourth grade teacher. Yes, that's hard, especially when you have one or two or three students in your classroom who absorb 90 to 95% of your resources and all the ability that you have to give that day. In my opinion, it would be better to spread that out over six classrooms.”

Berry indicated that the teaching staff at her school supports the waiver request.

“We're very family oriented,” she said. “We build strong relationships. We sat down as a team, and we looked into finding a teacher, but they know that the pressure is on in fourth grade. You have to get the growth and they don't want to give up any of their kids. We were trying to pick which kids would we possibly go to another classroom.

“Well, they were really having a difficult time with that. And we, y'all know, like our families are really invested in us, and they know those fourth grade teachers, and they trust them. They're highly motivated. You can tell they're very passionate, and so they really want to stick with the course.”

Ford called fourth-grade teachers as “rock stars,” and Board President Mike Guest  referred to that comment at the end of the discussion: “They are a rock star team, but they're also our loudest team to give us feedback, so if they reach their limit, I'm sure they'll let us know — that’s a good thing.”

Ford was the lone dissenting vote in the waiver request vote.

The board also approved general fund and child nutrition fund budget amendments, approved the campus and district improvement plan, and approved nominations for the School Health Advisory Committee.

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In other action, the board:

• heard a report from Austin Elementary School;
• heard a report from Assistant Superintendent Marie Hernandez on the ROOted in Excellence Series;
• heard a report on the district’s technology program;
• received the extracurricular booster club financial report;
• received financial reports for the month of July; and
• received the Parker County Appraisal District audit for 2023.

The board’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m on Monday, October. 21.