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Most schools see stable enrollment count

School districts throughout the state turned their 2012-13 enrollment numbers in to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction last Friday, Oct. 5.

The number of students enrolled is counted on the third Friday of September and again on the second Friday of January. A school district’s revenue cap is determined by the third Friday in September count.

Two area school districts saw their enrollments remain stable, while one district saw it drop.

Waupaca

In the Waupaca School District, a total of 2,221 students are enrolled this school year in pre-K through 12th grade. That compares to last year’s enrollment of 2,225.

Districts compare the number of seniors who just graduated to the number of students in kindergarten.

Last year’s senior class was 208 students, while this year’s kindergarten class is 165 students, said District Administrator David Poeschl.

The number of students in kindergarten is higher than what it has been the past several years.

“We were a little surprised by the 165 in kindergarten,” he said. “That is a pattern change for us. The last few years, we were trending in the 140s.”

In first through fourth grades, class size ranges from 137 in second grade to the 165 in this year’s kindergarten class.

At the middle school, which this year is comprised of fifth through eighth grades, class size ranges from 159 in sixth grade to 185 in eighth grade.

Enrollment at WHS is down from last year.

This year, it is 711, while a year ago, it was 753 students.

There are 160 freshmen, 180 sophomores, 200 juniors and 171 seniors this year.

Poeschl said the district saw a number of students move in and out of the district during the summer.

In pre-K through 12th grade, a total of 174 students moved into the district over the summer, with 110 moving out.

During the summer, 79 students moved into the district in pre-K through fourth grade, with 35 students moving out. In fifth through eighth grade, 43 moved into the district during the summer, and 33 moved out, while at the high school level, 52 students moved into the district during the summer and 42 moved out.

The number of students open enrolling in or out of the district is similar to what those numbers were last year.

This school year, 85 students open enrolled in and 77 open enrolled out.

A year ago, 87 open enrolled in and 75 open enrolled out.

Under the new, open enrollment extension, eight students moved into the district and two out, Poeschl said.

Wega-Fremont

In the Weyauwega-Fremont School District, 877 students are enrolled this school year in pre-K through 12th grade. That compares to last year’s enrollment of 876.

“The numbers reflect last year’s numbers,” said District Administrator Scott Bleck.

At Weyauwega Elementary School, this year’s enrollment is similar to last year’s and down one student.

Enrollment at Fremont Elementary School is higher this year – 161 compared to 150 last year.

Bleck said most of the increase is due to the number of students enrolled in the district’s 4-year-old kindergarten program this year.

That program is held at Fremont Elementary, and he said there are 58 students in it it this year, while last year, there were 49.

“We had an increase in enrollment in our 4K program this year,” Bleck said. “That was anticipated. From our spring 2012 Child Development Days, we had an increase in the number. Those students carried over to our (fall) 2012 numbers.”

The district publicized Child Development Days through the local media, both print and radio, to make families aware of the district’s 4K program, he said.

Bleck said Child Development Days also identifies children and families who may need additional support before a child is of school age.

He will be curious to see whether next year’s kindergarten class is similar in size to what this year’s 4K numbers are showing.

This year, 57 students are enrolled in kindergarten in the district.

Last year’s graduating class had 66 students in it.

This year, there are 61 freshmen, 62 sophomores, 87 juniors and 80 seniors at W-F High School.

At the middle school, class size ranges from 50 in seventh grade to 74 in sixth grade.

At the elementary level, classes range from 51 in first grade to 65 in second grade.

In regard to open enrollment, 42 students open enrolled into the district this year and 56 open enrolled out. Last year, 36 student open enrolled in and 57 open enrolled out.

“We’re looking for stable, consistent trends,” Bleck said. “That allows the district to manage its resources as efficiently as it can.”

Iola-Scandy

In the Iola-Scandinavia School District, Interim District Administrator Duane Braun said 731 students are enrolled this school year, while 759 students were enrolled in the district last year.

Forty students open enrolled into the district this year, while 35 open enrolled out, he said.

This year’s kindergarten class of 46 students compares to last year’s senior class of 68, Braun said.

At the elementary level, class size ranges from 44 in first grade to 56 in sixth grade.

This year’s seventh-grade class has 54 students in it, while the sixth-grade class has 64 in it.

At the high school level, there are 59 freshmen, 70 sophomores, 65 juniors and 59 seniors, according to Braun.

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