WESTMINSTER : Easing Enrollment Crush Will Be Topic
The Westminster School District will hold a public hearing tonight seeking community suggestions on ways to house the district’s growing student population.
The 16-school district has 7,747 students enrolled, an increase of 385 over last year.
“We had been declining in enrollment up until this year,” said Ray Rodriguez, public information officer. “The biggest increase came at the kindergarten level where we have 91 more students than last year.”
Due to the declining enrollment of previous years, the district had leased out three of its school sites. With enrollment on the upswing, all of the district’s space is at capacity, said School Board President Nancy L. Blumenthal.
“Our enrollment is increasing to such a point that we need to consider options on where to put these students,” she said. “We have decisions that need to be made soon. If we want to open up one of our leased-out schools again, we need to give the tenants at least six months notice.”
The board will also consider adding portable classrooms to existing school sites, changing boundaries, creating a year-round school program and opening up a third middle school.
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