Teachers worry about 7th-, 8th-graders at high school
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A pair of Dunkirk Intermediate School educators expressed concerns recently that the children they teach are mixing with high schoolers too much.
Marie Cameron and Tim Emerson spoke to the Dunkirk Board of Education at its August meeting.
The district combined its intermediate and high schools into one building a few years ago. Cameron said the seventh- and eighth-graders were supposed to be "teamed" together, but that has basically been "dismantled."
She said that eighth-graders are "basically part of the high school now" and that while the seventh-graders are kept a little more separate, they must "go through the high school to go to the bathroom or cafeteria."
Cameron, who said she has taught at the Dunkirk school district for 27 years, called the last six years "increasingly heartbreaking" due to issues brought on by the combination of the schools.
Emerson said, "It may appear to save the district money by cutting teaching positions and teaming." However, he said it would cost the district in the long run when an increasing amount of incoming ninth-graders are not ready for high school.
"Please don't forget about our seventh- and eighth-graders," he pleaded.
In other business from the Dunkirk Board of Education meeting:
-- Former board member Tommy Roque, who passed away recently, was honored with a resolution of respect and a moment of silence.
Board President Kenneth Kozlowski called for the moment of silence. "He was always an advocate for the students and for this community as a whole," Kozlowski said of Roque.
-- The board received a request to do a read-through on the first draft of new Standard Operating Policies and Procedures for the district's special education department.
-- Todd Crandall, who heads up Chautauqua County's school board association, visited as part of his tour of the Boards of Education for all 19 county school districts.
It was a homecoming for Crandall, who used to work at the Dunkirk school district. He described the board association's activities, including professional development and advocacy campaigns on education issues.
-- The board hired some employees for the school district.
Anthony Hernandez Bentley was hired as a working supervisor for the intermediate school. Athletic Director Kyle Jarrell has a new position, “Coordinator of Programs, Strategic Support and Athletic Director." He resigned from morning supervision and Varsity Club advisor duties.
Also, Johnnie Lindstrom was hired as an intermediate/high school special education teacher. Grace Pucciarelli was brought on as a School 4 speech language pathologist. Substitute teachers Haley Crosta and Christopher Cheresnowski, school monitors Ariel Davila and Anna Esquillin, and summer clerical substitute Patrick LaMattina were also hired.