Parents pack Bridgeport BOE meeting to address teacher shortages, student transfers

The school district says because of significant teacher shortages they are considering transferring 70 students from the two grades.

News 12 Staff

Jan 24, 2023, 12:55 AM

Updated 627 days ago

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A Board of Education meeting was held Monday night in Bridgeport over the issue of transferring seventh and eighth graders from Wilbur Cross School to Thomas Hooker School.
The school district says because of significant teacher shortages they are considering transferring 70 students from the two grades.
Parents, students and teachers News 12 have spoken with say they are concerned about classroom sizes doubling and the impact it could have on the students.
Wilbur Cross parents are concerned their students haven't received a proper education since the fall due to the teacher shortages. Since this change would come in the middle of the school year, the parents say the students will be even more disrupted.
A parent of a third grader at Thomas Hooker says she is concerned about the lack of support at the school. Sarah Mallozzi says putting more than 60 new students in a new school in the middle of the school year is an injustice.
"One of my solutions is that maybe we can have these kids go to different schools. There's 29 middle schools that they could go to in Bridgeport. Thomas Hooker does not need to be the savior," Mallozzi said.
A Board of Education member told News 12 they do plan on approving the transfer, they just have to set a date.