Preliminary numbers show at least 150 new students have enrolled in Bowling Green School District for the
2009-10 academic year.
Superintendent Hugh Caumartin called it the highest new enrollment in the years he’s been with the
district.
He told the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday that while he hasn’t had a chance to analyze the
numbers, he was guessing the economy has had a lot to do with the increase.
Usually during periods of economic hardships, people are more transient, he said. Also, families with
children at schools that charge tuition may be deciding they can’t afford that expense, he added.
The increase in new enrollment won’t necessary translate to an increase in overall enrollment, which last
year was nearly 3,200 students.
Administrators also are trying to figure out this week how many students have left the district.
Caumartin said parents often remember to register their children in new schools, but forget to notify
the schools they are leaving.
"Often we don’t know until we get a request for records from another district," he explained.
The district should have better numbers at the end of the month.
Principal Joe Zabowski at the middle school already has reported the seventh-grade class has at least 20
more students than it did last year.
George Offenburg, principal at Milton Elementary, guessed enrollment at his building was up at least 10
from last spring.
"We have three classes that we’re watching very closely, and they’re very high," he said this
morning.
Milton’s first, second and sixth grades have reached levels where either an aide may be needed, or
youngsters will be transferred to another building, Offenburg said. "We don’t know what’s going to
happen with that."
In the five years he’s been in charge of that building, he said he’s never had such a bump in enrollment.
Caumartin recalled when enrollment at Milton was significantly lower.
"We were down to almost 100 kids back six, seven years ago," he said this morning.
The school’s enrollment this fall is somewhere in the 150s, Offenburg guessed.
Caumartin also said administrators have noted a spike in numbers not only at the middle school but in
first grades districtwide. "We’re looking at some bigger numbers than usual."
Also at the meeting, board members praised everyone involved, from administrators to custodial staff, for
getting the new middle school ready for the school year.
"It went smooth as silk this morning," reported Assistant Superintendent Diane Tache at
Tuesday’s meeting.
"We’re happy to report we got a thumbs up today with the opening" of the new middle school,
said Ron Dulay, with Rudolph/Libbe.
He added that the auditorium and its lobby are scheduled to be completed the second week of October.
The board approved an additional $12,623.75 in change orders for the project, encompassing work to the
orchestra pit and additional fire alarm devices.
