Kindergarten enrollment in Putnam County rose to 696 students during the early registration window, marking an increase of 23 children compared to the same time last year.
Putnam Schools Attendance Supervisor Chris Pierce said the early enrollment window for elementary schools opened concluded April 17. Pierce said the district typically expects to pre-enroll between 650 and 700 new students annually.
“So it’s up a little bit,” Pierce said. “That part, now again this is pre, and we won’t really know what we have until we get to about mid-August/September. But any plus is great. So we’re starting off on a much better foot.”
Pierce said the district had 789 kindergarten students in schools as of the final full day of the previous term. Pierce said officials anticipate enrolling an additional 100 to 175 children during the registration period in August.
“Some families do not take advantage of early enrollment, other families and I’ve talked to several actually this week even since school has ended who are relocating from today was Texas, Florida, Arizona,” Pierce said. “They’re trying to figure out how they enroll when they get here.”
Pierce said the district filled 37 spots through a kindergarten lottery conducted across eight different elementary schools.
“In years past it was loaded, the applicants were loaded with like one school or two schools,” Pierce said. “This year it was across the board, it was very even across the board. Which speaks volumes to our schools. And I do want to point that out that people are wanting to go to every school we have.”
Pierce said the district restricted enrollment at Algood Middle School and Prescott South to only children of employees or those living in the specific zones to manage student-teacher ratios. Pierce said no school currently has a capacity number above 90 percent.
“We’ve just landed the plane on one year and we’re getting ready to take off on another one,” Pierce said. “So this is that cycle that we go through, so we’re glad to be a part of that to try to help as many students who will take that plane ride with us back up in the air.”
Pierce said the district will have a clearer picture of total enrollment once the new school year begins on July 29.
