AVON GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCES FORMATION
OF CLASS SIZE TASK FORCE
The Avon Grove School District has announced the formation of a 15-member Class Size Task Force that is charged with reviewing the District’s class size policy and making recommendations for any changes to the Avon Grove School District Board of School Directors. Existing class size guidelines for grades K-12 are outlined in Board Policy #126, which was adopted in April 1997.
According to the Class Size Project Charter, the task force will be responsible for meeting a number of objectives, including:
- reviewing research on class size,
- evaluating Avon Grove’s current and forecasted class size and staffing,
- gathering and evaluating class size and staffing data from other school districts,
- assessing Avon Grove’s current and future facilities and financials, and
- making recommendations for revisions to the K-12 class size guidelines.
The task force is comprised of community members, parents representing each grade cluster, teachers, school and District administrators, and members of the Board of School Directors. When the task force completes its charter, the group will present any recommendations for changes to the class size policy to the Board of School Directors for consideration. Changes to the policy would require the Board’s approval.
The Avon Grove School District Class Size Task Force members are:
| Donald D’Apolito |
Community Member |
| Jennifer DiFelice |
Penn London Elementary Teacher |
| Ed Farina |
Parent |
| Dr. Robert Fraser |
Fred S. Engle Middle School Principal |
| Brian Gaerity |
Parent |
| Dennis Gerber |
Member of the Board of School Directors |
| Kathleen Grier |
Parent |
| Todd Harvey |
Avon Grove Intermediate School Principal |
| Mike Holveck |
Parent |
| Pat McKeon |
Instructional Technology Support Teacher
for PLE & AGIS |
| Sean Murray |
Avon Grove Intermediate School Teacher |
| John Salisbury |
Community Member |
| Edwin Wright |
Community Member |
| Dr. Margaret V. Sharp |
Task Force Cochair,
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction |
| Bonnie Wolff |
Task Force Cochair,
Member of the Board of School Directors |
(Please note: One additional teacher is expected to be invited to join the task force to replace an individual who recently notified the cochairs of her inability to serve due to other obligations.)
The task force will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, September 23, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Avon Grove Intermediate School Audion. The task force is scheduled to meet about twice each month for a total of 11 three-hour working sessions to complete its charge. The current schedule calls for the task force to present its findings and recommendations to the Board of School Directors on February 26, 2009.
The task force meetings are open to any member of the Avon Grove community who may wish to listen and observe. Comment cards will be provided at each meeting and observers may use the cards to submit questions or comments in writing. All comment cards will be collected and processed following each meeting, and the information contained will be shared with the task force as a whole.
Members of the Avon Grove community can also submit questions and comments to the Class Size Task Force at any time using the online Class Size Feedback Form.
The task force cochairs will facilitate sharing and responding to comments and/or questions that are submitted in writing.
See below for the Class Size Task Force meeting schedule. Any changes will be posted online.
Avon Grove School District Class Size Task Force Meeting Dates
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Monday, September 29, 2008 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Monday, October 27, 2008 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 @ the AGIS Library, 6-9 p.m
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 @ the AGIS Library, 6-9 p.m.
Monday, December 15, 2008 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 @ the AGIS Library, 6-9 p.m.
Monday, January 26, 2009 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Monday, February 9, 2009 @ the AGIS Audion, 6- 9p.m.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 @ the AGIS Audion, 6-9 p.m.
Thursday, February 26, 2009 @ the AGIS Library, 6-7 p.m. & Presentation
to the Avon Grove Board of School Directors, 7:30 p.m. @ the AGIS Audion
Avon Grove School District officials announced in early June that a Class Size Task Force would be formed to study the class size issue districtwide. An application was posted on the District and school Web sites, and a hardcopy of the application was published in the Summer 2008 edition of The Grove newsletter, which was mailed to Avon Grove residents in late July. The application deadline was August 15. Applications were screened to ensure members of each constituent group are represented on the task force, including residents with children attending District schools and residents without children attending District schools.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 11:58 AM
