NORWOOD PARK — Seventh-grade classes at Oriole Park Elementary School will grow to 35 students each because of the latest round of budget cuts, Principal Tim Riff told parents.
The Norwood Park school was one of several on the Far Northwest Side forced to cut at least one teaching position because of budget cuts.
The school's budget was cut approximately $84,000, according to data released by Chicago Public Schools officials.
In order to "mitigate" the increase in class size for both seventh-grade classrooms, Riff said the students would be divided into three groups for art, music, Mandarin and physical education lessons. In addition, another teacher will assist during science and social studies classes, Riff said.
If more students enroll than CPS officials expect, Riff told parents he would use the additional funds to hire another middle school teacher.
Each school's final budget is determined by CPS based on enrollment on the 20th day of school.
While CPS CEO Forrest Claypool told reporters July 13 that school budgets would "hold the line" and protect classrooms from another round of cuts, schools will get about 7 percent less this year for each student in kindergarten through 12th grade compared with last year, officials acknowledged.
Across the district, nearly 1,000 teachers and support staff positions have been eliminated.
CPS officials said the cuts were smaller than all but one other year in the past six years.
"CPS principals continue to do exemplary work protecting their classrooms so that they can build on the remarkable academic progress their students are making," CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said. "Today's staffing changes are part of the normal process of school planning, and there are more vacant positions in the district than staff who will be impacted today."
But the Chicago Teachers Union ripped the district's decision to eliminate the positions, saying it was unnecessary.
The district's latest budget deal could lead to a teachers strike, union president Karen Lewis has warned.
"CPS continues to inflict damage on our school district by implementing layoffs, cutting special education services and other programs that help students excel," Stephanie Gadlin, spokeswoman for the union, said in a statement. "The gutting of experienced educators and other school employees only weakens schools and puts children at a disadvantage. This is no way to run a 21st century school district."
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