Wasilla High crowded classrooms taking toll

WASILLA -- With more than 150 students above projection, Wasilla High School is bursting at the seams. Principal Dwight Probasco has brought on three more teachers since the year began, but class sizes are still larger than expected, he said.

"We prepared to be staffed at 27 to one (pupil to teacher ratio); right now our average class load is 29 to one," Probasco said.

The school was projected to have 1,005 students, but 1,159 students were enrolled as of Monday, with two pending withdraws. While the school has not yet reached capacity, some of the teacher's classroom capacities are stretching thin.

"There are 42 students in my art room for crafts," said instructor Janet Stuart. "It feels like 50."

Several classes have been filled beyond the expected pupil to teacher ratio (PTR). Some English classes have more than 40 students, the school's fifth period gym classes each have 38 to 44 students, and all three of those gym classes are in the gym or the weight room right next to the gym at the same time.

"It's a supervised recess," Probasco said.

Some of the highest PTRs include a 46-student Spanish 2 class, two 42-student algebra 1 classes, a 47-student team sports class and a 44-student health class. Some of the lower PTRs are a 19-student English 1 class, a 16-student U.S. history class, a 15-student introduction to algebra class, and a 19-student biology class. Probasco estimates that around 600 student's schedules have been affected by changes made to lower PTR; even on Monday, a physical science class was split in two and half of the class now has a new teacher.

"We are still trying to solidify students' and teachers' schedules," Probasco said.

Wandering about the school, an onlooker can see the crowded classrooms. While one algebra class had a few empty seats, a student was quick to pipe up, "There are a bunch of kids absent today," she said. "Normally all of the seats are filled."

This seemed to be the cry of any room that wasn't filled to the brim with students.

"The reality is, we are 152 students over projection," Probasco said. "We're packed."

Some students are sharing lockers, and before extra cashiers were brought in during lunch some students spent their entire lunch period in the line to get food.

"You should see our lunch periods," Probasco said. "It's like the Midway at the fair."

While Probasco said teachers are making do, he is worried about the impact of such a large PTR.

"Our teachers are doing a great job, but it does impact the teachers' delivery and the students' learning. Think about how much more a teacher could do if they had 27 students verses 40," he said. "We just don't have the resources we need to adequately provide the best education for students."