Elkhorn school district continues to evolve

[eomaha]

With a second high school to be announced... I'm sure it's just a matter of time before Elkhorn goes class A. With Millard already contemplating a fourth... I guess that'll make an even 30.

Elkhorn redefines school boundaries

Enrollment in the Elkhorn Public Schools is growing so rapidly that the district is redefining its elementary school boundaries to avoid overloading classrooms.

Two more elementary schools will open in the next two years, and sites for a second middle school and a second high school are expected to be announced later this month.

"Nobody wants larger elementary school class sizes or moving art and music instruction into regular classrooms," Superintendent Roger Breed said.

The alternative is redefining boundary lines to keep elementary school enrollments balanced across the district, Breed said.

A major concern is Spring Ridge Elementary School at 17830 Shadow Ridge Drive, which is at capacity - even after opening a second two-room portable building Monday.

"Spring Ridge can't accommodate another portable classroom," Breed said. "It's at capacity for the next few years."

The district considers Spring Ridge's situation critical because more students are in lower grade levels than will move on to middle school in the next couple of years, Breed said.

As a result, the district needs to cap Spring Ridge's enrollment.

Administrators hope to take some of the pressure off Spring Ridge as they draw boundaries for the new Fire Ridge Elementary School, which will open nearby at 19660 Farnam St. in August.

The district is considering such options as:

• Assigning some Spring Ridge students to Fire Ridge.

• Closing enrollment at certain grade levels at Spring Ridge and possibly conducting a lottery to determine who may attend.

• Requesting volunteer students from Spring Ridge to attend Fire Ridge.

District administrators will offer the Elkhorn school board an enrollment proposal in December for action in January.

The plan is expected to redefine elementary school boundaries south of West Dodge Road for the 2005-06 school year and north of Dodge for the 2006-07 year, when Manchester Elementary School will open near 176th Street and West Maple Road.

In the meantime, the district is asking residents to return census data forms by Nov. 9 to gather accurate information on future enrollment. The forms, being mailed to homes this week, ask for additional ideas or suggestions for ways to limit enrollment at Spring Ridge.

[nebugeater]

I do not follow the logic.. WIth a SECOND high school to be anounced wouldn't that assure that they stay class B? Isn't the classification based on enrollment at the school and not at the district level? I had heard talk from some that one of the reasons for a second HS in Elkhorn was to Stay at B rather than add to the exting school, ( this is an option) and then assure that they would be A in a short time?

Help me here? Do I have this all wrong?

[Coyote]

Classifications is based on class enrollment
and are different for certain sports.
In football the top 28 enrolled schools are class A.
From Central which has around 2000 students
to #28 Columbus which has around 900.

Class B is then the next 32 schools from Hastings at 750
to Roncalli at 250. Class C1 and C2 are the rest,
with class D1 and D2 those schools playing eight-man football.

This year Elkhorn has an enrollment of 717, which is interesting
since their 3-year average, which NSAA uses, was 643.
74 above the three year average?

BTW Papio-La Vista South which just opened already has
an enrollment of 872 - Class A.

Basketball follows the same outline but more schools play
so the lower ditricts have more members. Baseball only has
one division so Elkhorn is in the same district as Papio-La Vista.

Now - why they would want two schools in B instead of one in A,
or if they hope that there would be great influx of students as
they take over more neighborhoods...

[jsheets]

Wow, I'm surprised to see my old Lincoln High drop from 1st largest all the way to 12th with the opening of North Star. Interesting how they went from more than 2000 students in only 3 grades to 1324 total. I wonder if they have freshman attending at the high school now, as I think that was one of the reasons for building two new high schools in only two years. I'm also surprised to see this based on enrollment numbers and not class size, although most districts have all 4 grades in the high school now anyway.

http://nsaahome.org/textfile/about/0405enroll.html

The three year average must be the previous three years, as their average is still over 2100. It must feel like a ghost town in there compared to the crowded halls that I remember.

To make this post more relevant for the site, and for anyone that hasn't seen it, the original building is beautiful (ala Central).
http://lhs.lps.org/

[Coyote]

Speaking of area High School enrollments:

Enrollment decline at Benson may drop Bunnies from Class A

Preliminary grade counts from the Omaha Public Schools had Benson with 243 freshman, 286 sophomores and 266 juniors — 795 total — as of Sept. 27, the State Department of Education reporting date.

For this school year, using figures from last fall, Benson's three-grade enrollment of 878 tied it with North Platte as the 26th largest school in many NSAA sports. The 28th school is South Sioux City at 850. The two largest Class B schools are Columbus at 823 and Lincoln Pius X at 810.