Saved by the Bell - Enrollment missed projections in N. Fulton Schools
categories: Schools
The “Ten-day Count” enrollment numbers are in for Fulton County Schools. Across all schools in North Fulton (High, Middle and Elementary) enrollment was down 859 students over what was expected, 438 of those not showing were in the elementary grades.
Although the forecast fell short, 2006 enrollment was still up about 3% over last year. However, this growth is far short of the double digit growth the area experienced not too long ago.
Summit Hill and Manning Oaks were the two elementary schools falling shortest of projections. None the less, Summit Hill is still the most crowded elementary school in North Fulton with 1,037 students, for a school that was designed for 850 students. Creekview Elementary, forecasted to have 1,032 students topped out at an even 1,000. Needless to say, most elementary schools in the area still have “modular classrooms” to handle the overflow.
Our six high schools in the area all have enrollments of between 2,000 and 2,500, but what is remarkable to me is that we have elementary schools in the area with about half the enrollment of one of our high schools, yet the elementary schools have significantly less than 50% as much square footage to house the students. Compare Summit Hill Elementary with Milton High School. There must be 4 times as much square footage per student at Milton than Summit Hill, not to mention outdoor athletic space. Compare Creek View Elementary to Alpharetta High School just down the road. Would you ever expect that there are only twice as many students at Alpharetta HS as there are at Creek View?
Good thing the students at the elementary schools are smaller!
