CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A parent in Chesapeake has concerns of overcrowding in schools after the issue was brought up at last week's school board meeting.
According to a report presented to the school board, the school division has limited capacity at the elementary school level.
"We just moved here from Hampton and it's a different school experience," Brionna Rivas, who has a student at B.M. Williams Primary, said.
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Chesapeake to add new schools, expand others due to overcrowding
Rivas's son has an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Rivas feels that with the number of students in her son's classroom it's impacting what he retains.
"How is it supporting those kids if there's one teacher, a teacher's aid, and then 17 kids, 18 kids," Rivas said.
Capacity for Chesapeake schools is updated annually and is based on building use and student to teacher ratios to support instruction requirements.
According to a presentation given by the school superintendent last week, B.M. Williams has a capacity of 675 students and, as of September, has an estimated enrolled number of 787 students.
Other elementary schools like Grassfield are seeing more than 500 students enrolled over what the capacity is.
Rivas said with the over crowded number she's concerned for student's health.
She said her student has already been kept home this school year due to being sick and is worried how overcrowding and flu season will impact classrooms.
"If you're kids can't go to school, and it's overcrowded over there, why would you want them to go to school anyways," Rivas said.
There are plans on the horizon to alleviate the overcrowding issues the school division said is due in part to an increasing city population.
Design work on a new Crestwood Elementary School, which serves students grades three through five, is almost done.
Crestwood is nearing capacity with just over 700 students enrolled and building that can only hold 725 students.
Watch previous coverage: Chesapeake to add new schools, expand others due to overcrowding
Once the school is completed in 2025, it will serve kindergarten through fifth grade, and BM Williams will also turn into a kindergarten through fifth grade school with some building modifications.
Rivas said she supports the expansion, but wants to make sure teachers are kept in mind with the restructuring.
There have also been concerns around portable classrooms, the school superintendent doesn't know if new buildings will completely eliminate portable classrooms but hopes it will decrease the need.
