A recurring theme on ShoreThings is my concern about the state of our schools in Wicomico County. I have included the statement that our teachers our leaving our classrooms on a few occasions. Citizens of the county who do not currently have kids in school might ask, “Are the teachers really leaving?”

I have two children who attended Fruitland Intermediate School (FIS) during the school years from 01-02 to 05-06. The first three off those school years were quite encouraging as the school maintained a challenging curriculum and had a low turnover rate among teachers. During the period from 2004 to 2006, 11 of the 17 regular classroom teachers left the school for other opportunities. Some of these 11 classrooms have seen two different teachers during this period. The vacancies in the school were filled with teachers of varying degrees of experience, and the effect of this turnover along with other factors such as larger class sizes, has caused FIS to become one of the schools with the highest office referral rate in the county. FIS was featured in a Daily Times article before the 06-07 school year along with Bennett Middle because they had decided to enact a behavior incentive program in an effort to curb the increase in disruptive incidents.

An additional problem in our schools is overcrowding. FIS had 139 third grade students during the 05-06 school year divided among 6 classrooms. This results in an average class size of 23 students. A class size of 24-25 students had been typical for above level and some on level classrooms, but students who were working toward level were typically in a class of 15-18 students. With an average class size of 23 students, this distribution is no longer possible, and students who are working toward level are no longer getting the chance to catch up to their peers. The overcrowding of our classrooms will only increase the distance between the levels of academic achievement among these students.

A great deal of residential development has occurred around Fruitland because the schools had a great reputation. Fruitland Primary has retained many of its quality long time teachers, but I know of two excellent teachers that have left that school as well. The uncontrolled growth in many areas of Wicomico County has not been offset with an increase in school capacity, and the students in these schools are losing out on what used to be a great place to learn.