Open letter to the Board of Education from Members of the Computer Science and Mathematics Department in preparation for Thursday night’s Budget Meeting.
Dear Members of the Board of Education,
The Computer Science and Mathematics teachers at Greenwich High School join our colleagues and the GHS PTA in opposing the proposed FY27 staffing reductions. While we agree that enrollment trends should inform staffing decisions, the magnitude of the proposed 6.5 teaching cuts at GHS is disproportionate to the projected enrollment decline and continues a troubling multi-year pattern.
Over the past three years, Greenwich Public Schools has eliminated more than 30 positions, with Greenwich High School absorbing a significant share of those reductions. In our department, this means retirements have gone unfilled, making class sizes larger.
The instructional impact in the Computer Science and Math Department is already evident:
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Larger class sizes, with honors and AP classes often exceeding 25 students and sometimes approaching 30
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Loss of scheduling flexibility for students due to class sizes
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Reduced individualized instruction and feedback to students
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Frequent closures of the Computer Science and Math Testing Center due to substitute shortages, creating challenges for students with extended time accommodations to have a location for testing
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Teachers pulled from support periods to cover classes, limiting one-on-one student help
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No full-time Learning Center aide to support students
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No dedicated math interventionist to support students
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No dedicated instructional coach to support teachers and instructional strategies for students
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Falling less than 3% short of the BOE Math SAT goal for the past three years.
Despite these challenges, some GHS Math and Computer Science students evidence strong achievement. Of note, AP scores in AB Calculus, BC Calculus, and Statistics have returned to pre-COVID levels, 100% of AP Computer Science Principles exam takers achieved 3 or better, including an average score of 4.16 (3.15 in CT, 2.86 Global), and GHS’s 216 AP-Precalculus test-takers achieved an average of 4.9 out of 5.0 in the course’s second year, as recognized nationally in Education Week: https://www.edweek.org/
However, this success is increasingly dependent on unsustainable workloads and diminishing student support. Appropriate staffing would have a significant impact on improving student outcomes for all students from all abilities and all socioeconomic backgrounds.
We respectfully urge the Board to reconsider the proposed FY27 cuts to GHS instructional staff and to align staffing decisions more closely with the core values of Greenwich Public Schools, proportional enrollment changes, and GHS student needs. Continued reductions in core instruction risk undermining the quality of education Greenwich High School is expected to provide.
Respectfully,
Members of the Computer Science and Mathematics Department
David Angelo
Jennifer Arango
Michelle Baske
Elizabeth Black
Robert Brown
Maria Buono
Susanna Daniel
Maryann Franchella
Erik Gundel
Alexandria Heymann
Taner Karakas
Ambroise Katundu
Mary Beth Liu
Shannon McKenna
Amanda Mezzancello
Lori Mulligan
Robert Papp
Jaclyn Quinn
Daniel Robinson
Jennifer Voccola
Julia Vyskocil
Peter Watson
Kristin Wilhelm
Mary Zarra