Editor’s note: This article was updated to fix the percentage of the recent wage raises teachers received. Last updated May 7 at 11 a.m. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Hollister School District is in contract negotiations with its teachers union regarding salary, district-wide planning and classroom sizes.
In addition, the district’s board approved a retirement incentive program and a multimillion dollar contract for infrastructure projects.
During public comment at the April 23 board meeting, seven speakers addressed classroom sizes for kindergarten and first grade. According to data presented by Nicole Felkins, Hollister Elementary School Teachers’ Association president and eighth grade history teacher at Marguerite Maze Middle School, class sizes for the district in those grades range from 21-28 students for kindergarten classes and 21-29 for first grade students depending on the school.
Felkins said the union took costs into consideration when it asked the district to reduce classroom sizes or add teacher aids for kindergarten and first grade classes. She said this would help with early literacy and establish a strong learning foundation for students.
“Twenty-eight versus 22 kindergartners is a huge difference,” she said. “Even just a second adult in the form of an aid can help. We want to retain these wonderful educators, so we need to make this place sustainable.”
The California Department of Education states that the average kindergarten class should not exceed 31 students, but also provides financial support to districts through the Local Control Funding Formula which requires districts “to maintain an average class enrollment of no more than 24 pupils in K-3 classes.”
Kathy Ruiz, a kindergarten teacher at Cerra Vista Elementary School for over 20 years, stressed that the teaching landscape has changed since some of the board members have been in the classroom.
“Education has changed a lot over the last 20 years,” she said. “But it has changed drastically post-COVID.”
Multiple speakers noted behavioral challenges with students have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and that smaller classroom sizes would aid with curbing these issues.
Lauren Holsten, another kindergarten teacher at Cerra Vista, read a letter she and her colleagues had sent to the district regarding classroom sizes. “We have given everything to our students. We love what we do and we love our students but we can’t keep doing this alone.”
Olsen began to cry during her statement as she added, “When a parent says it takes a village, they are usually referring to their child. If a parent needs a village then a teacher needs a city, maybe even a state. We will settle for smaller class sizes and an aid.”
In a follow-up statement to BenitoLink, the district said it listens to concerns from staff as it looks for sustainable solutions and that it works with staffing and enrollment projections when assigning students to schools.
“Due to various factors, some schools have greater enrollments than others,” the statement said. “The District looks forward to continued support of environments that are conducive to learning.”
Felkins told BenitoLink the teachers appreciate the 6% raise given by the district last school year and 4% this school year but that members wanted class sizes addressed.
“HESTA [Hollister Elementary School Teachers’ Association] is fighting for what is best for children and what is best for teachers,” she said. “We just want happy teachers, happy learners, and a happy place to work.”
The district also released a highlight memo of all the updates during the meeting.
Other board actions
The district’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved an early retirement incentive program for Hollister Elementary School Teachers’ Association and Classified School Employees Association members to reduce staffing costs, according to resolutions 18:23-24 and 19:23-24.
The program would benefit up to 15 certified employees and 15 classified employees who must submit their notice to retire by May 31 and retire by June 30. Certified employees would receive an incentive of $40,000; classified employees would receive $20,000.
The board also approved a $2.43 million contract with KYA Services for roof coating at Hollister Dual Language Academy, Marguerite Maze Middle School, Cerra Vista Elementary School, Rancho San Justo Middle School, Ladd Lane Elementary School, Hollister Prep School and the Early Childhood Education Center.
In addition, the board approved a $25,508 contract with KYA to install a push-lever gate at Sunnyslope Elementary School and $195,342 for site improvements at Cerra Vista.
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