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2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, September 04, 2009 10:26 PM

Schools adjusting class sizes to changing enrollment

By COURTNEY SERVAES, Herald Staff Writer

Ottawa Superintendent Dean Katt said he knows small class sizes are important — especially at the elementary level.

But that may not be possible for every class right now, he said.

“Our elementary numbers have been growing,” Katt said.

Meanwhile, enrollments at Wellsville and Central Heights remain steady and West Franklin’s enrollment is down, area superintendents said.

Both Ottawa University and Neosho County Community College’s Ottawa campus are experiencing significant increases, university officials said.

Ottawa

Ottawa High School’s senior class is unusually small this year, Katt says.

But the elementary classes are just the opposite.

“As of now we have 30 more students in the elementary than we had last year,” he said. “We have 12 less in the high school.”

Katt said the majority of elementary classes at USD 290 are in the lower 20s, but a few classes have up to 25 students per class.

“We’re mindful of that, and we keep telling our teachers that we’re going to see this as we go through this budget crisis,” he said.

Overall, Katt said enrollment numbers are up, which is a good thing, even with overpopulated classes.

“Our class sizes are as small as possible,” he said. “We have a limited number of classrooms and sections.”

Wellsville

Some families are moving out of the Wellsville area, Superintendent Denise O’Dea says. But others are moving in.

That explains why enrollment in the Wellsville School District is the same as last year — exactly the same.

“The enrollment number just stayed the same overall,” O’Dea said.

She said current enrollment within the school district is 871, though that could change.

“The class sizes are about the same,” O’Dea said. “Our kindergarten class is unusually small this year, so our four sections of kindergarten are small.”

Central Heights

Not much has changed for Central Heights, either.

Superintendent Jim Reece said the number of students enrolled within the district — 531 — is fairly consistent with last year.

Overall, Reece said the district is down by seven students.

As in the Wellsville School District, Reece said the number of students enrolled in kindergarten is down from past years. Last year, there were 19 kindergarten students. This year there are 14.

West Franklin

Superintendent Dotson Bradbury attributes a loss of students to the economy.

Bradbury said families may be moving to other areas to find work or to live with other family members.

“The enrollment decreases include out-of-district students returning to their home district because of a loss of income by the family, families moving in with relatives in larger communities because of a loss of employment, housing or both,” he said.

Despite the 27-student loss this year, Bradbury said some of the classes still are large.

“Class sizes are somewhat larger than they were three years ago,” he said. “This is due to a decline in enrollment and some staff reductions because of that and the cuts in funding we have experienced last year and this year.”

Bradbury said an increase in class size has been gradual and staff members have known to anticipate it.

“We have kept staff informed that they should anticipate larger class sizes over time due to the dramatic cuts in funding that school districts have experienced,” he said.

Ottawa University

Brian Sandusky says Ottawa University takes a personal approach to students.

That’s why Sandusky, vice president for enrollment and adult markets at the college, says the university experienced record-breaking enrollment numbers so far this year.

“Our programs, people and uniquely personalized approach to our students is obviously paying significant dividends,” Sandusky said in a media release. “We are very proud of the progress we have made and enthusiastic about what lies ahead for the university.”

Ottawa University this week announced a 16-percent increase in the number of new undergraduate students — its largest incoming class in five years. In addition, more than 500 new students have registered for the university’s first fall session of online programs and at its seven campuses.

“We are very pleased to see the impact of our strategies on enrollments for the beginning fall term,” President Kevin Eichner said. “We have been working very hard to communicate our significant differentiators to prospective students.”

NCCC

Dale Ernst says faculty and staff at Neosho County Community College have been paying attention at all levels.

Ernst, dean of Neosho’s Ottawa campus, said enrollment at the college’s Ottawa campus is up 18.3 percent from last year, with 726 students enrolled. In addition, Ernst said NCCC is at an all-time high for this time of year with 18,159 credit hours — a 15.5-percent increase from last year on Sept. 1.

“Every person at the college has helped make this happen,” Ernst said. “Opening new class sections when time was right, increased PR and advertising in the college service area, the economic mood of the country has been noted and our assistant director of admissions has been stationed at this campus for a year.”

Ernst said the college has been focusing on marketing and admissions this past year, which probably led to its recent success.