As Kenai’s Neighborhood School, Mountain View Elementary is proud to be Kenai’s only, open enrollment, public elementary school. As such, we have approximately 500 hundred diverse students come through our doors each day. Did you ever wonder just how many staff members it takes to meet the safety (emotional and physical) and academic needs of those children?
Our general education class size, determined by KPBSD pupil-teacher ratio policy, average about 23 students each. It takes 20 teachers to staff those classrooms. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg; the total number of teaching and support staff at Mountain View is 64. Where do all those other staff fit in the puzzle?
Adding to the number of certified teachers in the school is a music teacher, PE teacher and librarian. To help non-special education students who are struggling we also have certified teachers in positions as an interventionist and a reading teacher. Also contributing to the certified staff is a principal and vice principal. A portion of our staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of our special education students. We have 3 “structured” special education classrooms where high-needs students spend the majority of their day. In addition, we have 4 special education classrooms that support special education students who spend the majority of their day in general education classrooms, including our gifted and talented program. We also provide speech and occupational therapy for those special education students who require it. Total special education staffing is 7.5 certified teachers, 17 aides, 1 psychologist and 1 occupational therapist.
Of course, students need to eat so there is a kitchen staff of three, and to keep our school looking as awesome as it does takes a custodial staff of 3. With 500 kids there are bound to be quite a few “owies”, sicknesses and health issues so a nurse is a necessity. As you can imagine there is a ton of paperwork and records so we have a secretary for that. And, since somebody has to run the whole show we have a head secretary.
In addition we have 5 student support personnel from the Kenaitze Youth Services and a certified tutor from the Kenaitze Yaghanen Youth Program. We are fortunate to have the staffing to be a full service, inclusive school. We are also fortunate to have students and families that contribute to making Mountain View a place where kindness counts and all students feel welcome and can achieve success