Smaller schools are better 

Dear Editor: 

Studies have clearly shown that our students do better in a small school environment. Yet when school districts look at their schools and decide to build another high school, most likely they will construct another huge institution instead of building a couple of smaller schools.

                Smaller schools are best for some very good reasons.

                First, administrators can better see whether good teaching and learning are going on in their schools. Principals can more easily get around observing teachers and whether some new teachers could use some assistance in dealing with their workload and understanding how to instruct their students.

                Second, students who come with problems can be more easily identified and dealt with properly. Teachers and administrators need this freedom to be able to solve problems in schools before they escalate into an uncontrollable situation.

                Third, students thrive in these smaller environments. Private schools have understood this for years. They often limit the number of students that they will enroll in their institution because of the notion that they can better serve the smaller student population.

                Our society needs to begin to discuss the issue of school size and the needs of our students and administrators.

                Raymond Nowicki