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First-week student numbers are providing Warsaw Schools with a challenge.
"They are more than expected," said Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth Thursday. "Enrollment was up last year. This early in the year, it's a surprise. They're not concrete numbers, but even if they are close, they are a great deal more than expected."
At the end of the 2003-04 school year, Atwood, Silver Lake and Claypool elementary schools were closed. Total fall headcount numbers for Warsaw Schools for 2003 and 2004 were 6,522 and 6,624. Since then, students at the closed schools have been transferred to other schools. The school board has since said Claypool will be reopened, but also is considering renovating and expanding Claypool and building at least one new elementary school. No decision has been made. Five architectural firms were considered with Kovert Hawkins being chosen Monday to show the community the need for a project.
For the first-week student count of the 2006-07 school year, Warsaw Schools had about 357 more students than the 2005-06 school year fall headcount, according to information provided by the Warsaw Schools Central Administration Office. Last year's fall headcount was 129 students more than the 2004-05 fall count.
Combined, all Warsaw Schools' buildings have a target capacity of 8,000 students. The early total enrollment count this year so far is about 7,111 students, 88.9 percent of the target capacity. Target capacity is based on regular classrooms at 25 students each. Enrollment numbers the first week or so change daily.
Haworth said they are dealing with the high student enrollment in various ways.
More staff was added to address the overcrowding, including a new first-grade teacher and a half-time kindergarten teacher at Harrison Elementary. As of Tuesday, some parents of fifth-grade Madison Elementary students were given the option of letting their child attend Lincoln Elementary where there is some room for fifth-graders. Since that option was just launched, Haworth could not say how many parents took advantage of it. At one point, parents of kindergartners at Washington Elementary were going to be given the option of letting students attend Eisenhower, but the number of kindergartners at Washington grew enough that a whole new section for kindergarten was added.
WSC will continue to address the overcrowding issue, first at the elementary schools then at the secondary level if dollars allow.
According to early enrollment figures, Eisenhower is at 86.9 percent (608 students) of its target capacity, while Harrison is at 100.4 percent (703) and Jefferson is at 102.4 percent (384). Leesburg is at 97.4 percent (560), Lincoln at 99.2 percent (471), Madison at 97.2 percent (583) and Washington at 96.7 percent (580).
The numbers at the two middle schools are uneven. Edgewood has an enrollment of about 542 students, with a target capacity of about 700 students, but Lakeview has 530 students with a target capacity of 1,075 students.
Asked if some of the elementary classrooms could be held at the middle schools, Haworth said the enrollment numbers are fresh and there's been no discussion of taking the elementary students to the middle schools. While the elementary school buildings are at capacity, Haworth said they have been able to house the children in the schools they presently attend. Next week, they could get all new figures and have to figure out how to house 100 new students.
One of the considerations WCS will have to balance is the cost of short-term options versus long-term costs, Haworth said. Madison Title I teachers are housed in a construction trailer. Moving a portable classroom from one school to another costs the school corporation about $40,000. Haworth said that is money that could be spent better on something long term.
The overcrowding issue is one for the entire corporation, he said. Even the high school, with its new addition, has an early enrollment of 2,150 students, and a target capacity of 2,200 students.
"Tomorrow is not too soon to address facilities," Haworth said.
However, he said WCS is doing a good job in educating students even with the growth they have. WCS has an excellent administrative team and staff members are coming up with creative solutions. Some high school teachers even have agreed to teach through their prep time to help reduce student-to-teacher ratios.
