Dear Members of the Randolph County Board of Education:
The Elkins High School Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) is concerned about the proposed transition from block scheduling to a period-based schedule, personnel season, and teacher attrition.
First, the transition to a period schedule would increase the complexity of student schedules from four classes per day to eight. This change would be particularly challenging for students who maintain part-time employment to support their families or save for college. The current block schedule allows these students to effectively balance academic and work responsibilities.
Additionally, the period schedule would double daily class transitions, resulting in lost instructional time and increased opportunities for behavioral issues. With a four-minute transition between block classes, we would lose only 20 minutes daily compared to an estimated 32 minutes under a period schedule. For our special education students, managing eight different classes and teachers daily (rather than four) would create unnecessary stress and potentially undermine existing accommodations. Additionally, students involved in extracurricular activities would struggle to balance eight courses with their commitments to sports, clubs, and part-time jobs.
Second, we are deeply concerned about the upcoming personnel season and proposed staff cuts that have been outlined at several board meetings. These cuts would impact students safety and supervision, while increasing class sizes in secondary education where no class size limits exists. Also, teachers would face significantly increased workloads, with some potentially handling six different class preparations daily instead of the current three.
Finally, and in addition to scheduling changes and proposed cuts, the Elkins High School LSIC is alarmed by teacher attrition- the reduction of staff through resignation, retirement, or transfer without replacement. Over the past few years, EHS has lost several positions due to attrition that has never been brought before the board, further impacting staffing needs. It is important to note that our current student-to-teacher ration is 17.37%, resulting in an average class size of 23.2 students. Comparing EHS to five similar high schools in our area, we have the second highest student-to-teacher ratio with only Buckhannon Upshur higher at 17.61%. The average ratio among these comparable schools is 15.28%.
We are concerned that changes in scheduling, proposed staff cuts, and the loss of staff through attrition will limit students’ access to important elective courses, including dual credit, honors, and Advanced Placement offerings. The suggestion to offer virtual classes and place these students in the backs of classrooms is a disservice that may drive families towards homeschooling or virtual school options, potentially increasing Hope Scholarship usage and further defending public education.
We respectfully request that the board reconsider this schedule change and engage in further dialogue with the EHS community before making any final decisions in this upcoming Personnel Season.
Respectfully submitted,
The Elkins High School Local School Improvement Council
