GREENWICH -- Alexandra Stevens said she first heard that the school district cut some foreign language instructional time at the elementary schools this year when her daughter's teacher sent a weekly academic schedule to families.
"Parents received no notification of this change from administration or from the board, nor has there been any explanation for the change to the elementary curriculum," Stevens said at the Board of Education's Sept. 26 meeting.
In total, Greenwich Public Schools reduced foreign language time at all the elementary schools between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the grade. According to the district, Superintendent Toni Jones addressed families about the change during their Parent Teacher Association meetings.
Jones told the Greenwich Time that the district has been discussing "for several years" reducing the foreign language time at the elementary schools because it will allow "more time for literacy and mathematics as well as providing additional planning time for all certified teachers in K-5."
"All 11 elementary principals came together to solve several scheduling challenges that we have been experiencing. We are excited about the redistribution of minutes to support many of our programs," Jones added.
According to the elementary school foreign language curriculum overview, Spanish is offered at most of the schools starting in third grade.
Magnet schools International School of Dundee, Julian Curtiss and New Lebanon, begin Spanish instruction in kindergarten. Julian Curtiss School -- A Magnet School of World Languages -- offers students the option of Spanish or French beginning in kindergarten, according to the overview.
The BOE eliminated world language offerings in K-2 at Hamilton Avenue School, the fourth elementary magnet school in the district, as a way to cut expenses during last year's budget season. Originally, the BOE was also going to cut world languages in K-2 at Julian Curtiss, but many community members told the BOE that they were against the change at the Curtiss.
"We all remember the impassioned speakers who came to the BOE meetings during last year's budget cycle to defend early year foreign language instruction," said John Fisher, president of the Parent Teacher Association Council, at the Sept. 26 BOE meeting. "That seemed settled and then suddenly last summer ... it turns out that it wasn't. The rationale for the changes may be understandable. The surprise was not so understandable."
For the three schools that offer foreign language to children in kindergarten through second grader, kindergarten foreign language instructional time dropped from 50 to 30 minutes per week; for first and second graders, instructional time dropped from 60 to 40 minutes per week.
At all of the 11 elementary schools, third grade foreign language instructional time decreased from 80 to 60 minutes per week and for fourth and fifth grade, it went from 100 to 60 minutes per week.
District officials confirmed that no staff was lost as a result of the reduction in foreign language instructional minutes at the elementary schools since "dual certified staff can now teach (Foreign Language in the Elementary School) and (English Language Learner) without leaving the building."
Foreign language is also taught in "small bursts" at the elementary schools, according to the school district.
"For instance, K was 10 minutes per day for five days per week. Now, they have 15 minutes twice each week for a little more focus and fewer class transitions," according to GPS.
However, Stevens said, the change means that her daughter now gets 40 percent less foreign language instructional time.
"Just doing the math, this cut means that grades three to five elementary students receive 24 fewer hours of Spanish instruction per year or 72 hours prior to starting middle school," Stevens said.
Jones said that the district anticipates "minimal impact, if any" when it comes to the how the change will affect how prepared third through fifth graders will be when they begin to take world language classes in middle and high school.
"Our middle and high schools programming is extremely robust, expanding even further in high school to eight different world languages, including (American Sign Language)," Jones said. "Only Spanish is offered at all 11 schools and all three middle schools, while French is offered at Julian Curtiss and Central (Middle School). Students can expand their options once they get to high school."
Jonathan Supranowitz, director of communications for GPS, told the Greenwich Time that the district has heard from "very few" parents about the foreign language changes at the elementary schools.
"Once hearing the explanation, our families understood the reasoning behind this decision and how it benefits our students and teachers alike," Supranowitz said.
On the other hand Fisher said at the board meeting that the PTA has heard from families, expressing "frustration or concern with the reduction in instruction time for foreign languages."
"Research shows that foreign language study in the early elementary years not only improves learning and eventual mastery of a foreign language, but also improves cognitive abilities, positively influences achievement in other disciplines and results in higher achievement test scores in both reading and math," Stevens said. "So it concerns me that the district has made this curricular change without any parent or teacher input."