New plan to help crowded classrooms wins high marks

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Herzliya's elementary school principals have proposed a new plan to help teachers in crowded classrooms - and the city plans to put the idea into action in three schools this coming school year, reports www.nrg.co.il. The principals proposed that rather than getting teachers of large classes to work extra hours to get through the required workload as is the case now, an additional teacher be placed in such classes during regular school hours to help out instead. According to the report, the city currently funds extra hours for teachers in large classes, and the principals proposed that this money be used to place an extra teacher in large classes instead. They said this would make a significant difference to such classes. The report said the principals' proposal was discussed by the municipal education department and parents' representatives, and the city decided to put it into action in three schools this coming school year: Lev Tov, Alon and Nof Yam. A parents' committee representative said the decision would affect future classes only and not existing classes, but it was "an important and good proposal" that would lead to an improvement in the quality of education in young classes. A municipal spokesman confirmed that the city was allocating funds to have two teachers in crowded classes.