Elementary school enrollment on the rise

Cedar Grove-Belgium Elementary School has picked up 12 new students in barely a month, and it isn’t even summer yet, when most enrollment increases occur.

“It’s been a crazy five weeks. That’s more than two students per week,” Principal Jeff Kondrakiewicz told the School Board last week.

As a result, Kondrakiewicz requested an additional teacher to allow for a fourth section of 5-year-old kindergarten. He didn’t specify a grade level “just for flexibility.”

The extra section could be filled internally and the new position may teach a different grade, he said.

The recent enrollment increase has been a surprise. Some are district residents attending other schools and some are move-ins.

“Teachers are asking me where they’re coming from. There’s not necessarily a pattern. There’s no common theme,” Kondrakiewicz said. “I just think that that’s really fascinating to drop in for the last four or five weeks of school.”

In addition, 13 more students have signed up to attend this fall for next school year. That makes a net gain of 25 over the first day of school this year.

“The number of students does not include loss or gains during the summer months. If we pick up two per week, we’re going to have a big summer,” Kondrakiewicz said.

Last summer, he said, the school had large enrollment gains, especially toward the end of the season.

The board approved hiring a teacher, 6-0. Board member Aileen Dahlke was absent.