Three grades in one classroom: parents fighting move by elementary school

Being likened to A1 room Schoolhouse, 3 grades are being put into one classroom here at Kensington Community School, and parents are concerned that one teacher will not be able to adequately instruct 3 curriculums. Kids are bound to be left behind. That’s Rebecca Oslands fear her daughter is a student at the elementary school and says she was informed during a recent parent council meeting that grades 4-5 and six would be combined into one class starting in September. Kids learn differently. What about the children who have special needs? What about children who just need a little bit more time with the teacher? The Toronto District School Board says the move was made based on low enrollment numbers, adding this specific class is projected to have about 24 students. We would like for there to be at least at least one more teacher allocated to our school next year because we do not want to have three grades under one teacher. Combined grades are not new, according to the TDSB, which says the practice has been going on in Ontario since the early 1950s, echoing the origins of the one room schoolhouse where all students from grades one to eight were in a single class. But Osaline does not accept that. I think that this decision is the result of underfunding and undervaluing public education. In response, Education Minister Stephen Leche says he understands where parents are coming from and the reality of low enrollment numbers, referencing, in part a new tool that will show how much funding each school board is receiving and how they’re spending it. I appreciate the frustration and school boards are the ones exclusively who make those decisions based on enrollment. And we frankly agree with many parents that want to see movement and frankly want to see improvement within our school boards, which is why we’re strengthening transparency. Part of today’s announcement, the TDSB tells me it’s not just grades 4-5 and six with low enrollment numbers. The JK to six school as a whole is projected to have just about 120 students next fall. Near College and Bathurst. Michelle Mackey, City News.