Superintendent watches enrollment counts

Over the past 14 years in the Wahkiakum School District, staffing and enrollment have been a roller coaster ride. Superintendent Bob Garrett has been in the district since 1994 and has seen fluctuations from minus 20 students to plus 20.

Currently, kindergarten enrollment for next fall is 27 students, which can be a cause for concern because the student count determines the number of sections the school will offer. Garrett must inform the staff by May 15 each year if there will be a place for them in the fall.

Because the number of students registered for school generates a certain amount of funding from the state, a higher number of registered students will bring in more money for the district for salaries and supplies.

A full time student will generate around $5000 from the state, but a kindergarten student will only generate half of that amount because they are only on campus part-time.

The declining enrollment trend of the past few years makes it difficult to predict where Garrett will be able to place teachers, if he needs them at all.

In September, Garrett said, there could be an influx of parents wanting to enroll their children in kindergarten. A person can register for classes, but then move, at which time changes in a teacher’s schedule must be made.

For example, last year, a half time teacher was hired for morning kindergarten and she would have taught at the middle school in the afternoon. When fall came, however, a flood of parents arrived ready to register their children for classes.

The administration then had to move the schedule so she would teach both morning and afternoon kindergarten sessions and find someone else to teach at the middle school.

Kindergarten classes are only part time, usually a morning session and an afternoon session. To generate one teacher, Garrett said, at least 20 full-time students are needed. So in order to have a full-time kindergarten teacher, 40 students are needed.

“We haven’t had 40 kids come in to kindergarten for several years now,” but the school board and administration believe that class size is critical especially for the younger students.

Garrett said that at this time next year, they may go ahead with the two sections having at least 14 kids to a class. “It’s great for the kids, it’s great for the parents, it’s great for the teacher.

“We think it’s much more effective than having, say, 26 kindergartners in just one class.”

It is not too late to register for kindergarten. Registration can be done year round.

Registration packets are available at the high school office or by calling 795-3271. Children need to be five years of age by August 31, and copies of the birth certificate and immunization records are required.

“Early registration is appreciated as it helps the district make staffing decisions in a timely manner, with the least disruption possible to the education process,” Garrett said.

The beginning of a school year is a hectic period, something that just happens in small schools, he said. “We are blessed to live in a community that is overall very supportive of its educational system.”