Rancho Santa Fe School District class sizes remain small

By Karen Billing

Rancho Santa Fe School District Superintendent Lindy Delaney said the district is well prepared for an “exciting school year” at R. Roger Rowe School.

“The start of the school year feels good,” said Delaney at the district board’s Aug. 22 meeting.

Enrollment for the 2013-14 school year stands at 695 students, up 22 students from last year with still 10 packets out.

Class sizes will remain small at 16 to 17 children in most grades, with middle school in the 15-17 student range and a couple of 20-student classrooms.

“We’re so very fortunate that the numbers are just enough to make classes small, allowing us to refrain from using combination classes this year. Being 20 students or less is a great place to be,” Delaney said.

The district has hired a new first and fifth grade teacher, a new advanced math teacher, and a literacy support teacher, spending more than they budgeted for, but Delaney notes that property taxes did come in higher than expected.

Also this year the fifth and sixth grades will be going through their one-to-one iPad deployment and staff development for the new Common Core State Standards, which will go into effect next year and will continue with the kindergarten through fifth grade roll out of Common Core math.

“We’re moving in the right direction at the right pace,” Delaney said.

A lot is on the horizon in terms of math as the district enhances its program to encourage learning growth, allowing opportunities for advanced students and intervention for students who may need more help, Delaney said.