Some School Districts See Low New Student Enrollment Numbers

A severe drop in the number of kids enrolled in the pre-kindergarten program has made it difficult for Southampton School District officials to prepare for the start of classes next week. Dr. Nicholas Dyno, Southampton’s superintendent, told School Board members earlier this month that only 30 children had been enrolled in the pre-K program at that time, compared to 68 the year before.Likewise, kindergarten numbers are lower than they had been in the past, with only 75 students being enrolled as of early August.On average, the number of students enrolled in the Southampton School District’s pre-K program over the past six years has been 74.5 students, and, in kindergarten, 96, according to Dr. Dyno. “We’re not seeing students enroll like we have in the past,” he told board members.Dr. Dyno said one of the problems the district faces each year is not knowing the actual number of students who will show up on the first day of class. That’s due, in part, to the fact that families sometimes do not find rental houses or apartments until the summer rental season ends—just as the school year begins.To prepare for the low numbers of enrolled students, Dr. Dyno has implemented a plan that can be reversed if the numbers do, in fact, go up. He said he plans to reduce the number of pre-K classes from four to three, and will keep one teaching assistant and teacher’s aide position open for the 2017-18 school year. As of last week, the number of children enrolled in pre-K had only increased to 36 students, according to Dr. Dyno. Currently, the average class size for pre-K is approximately 13 students. For kindergarten, he said, he plans to maintain five classrooms. He also plans to monitor enrollment trends and will modify staffing if needed.“One of the dangers we all face is we don’t know … unless parents have notified us,” he said. “We don’t know if a student moved out of the district in the summer.”Dr. Dyno said the numbers also could reflect a decrease in the number of families moving into the area, and he wasn’t sure if Southampton’s situation is unusual.As of last week, Tuckahoe School District officials said pre-K enrollment was down 11 students compared to last year’s 36 students, though the number of kindergarten students was up 14 students compared to last year’s 22.But not all districts are seeing the decline.Stefanie Gomez, the registrar for the Springs Union Free School District, said last Tuesday that the district’s pre-K and kindergarten numbers are about the same as last year. The district’s pre-K program has a 36-student capacity that is split between two sessions. Currently, both classes are full, and six students are on the waiting list.Ms. Gomez said the parents of those students enrolled have been called and have verified that their children will be attending pre-K in the fall.Lars Clemensen, the superintendent for the Hampton Bays School District, said the numbers are not out of the ordinary for his district this year. The Hampton Bays district offers four half-day pre-K sessions through vendors, which allow space for 54 students. So far, Mr. Clemensen said, 52 students are enrolled, and every student who entered a lottery to get a spot was at least invited to attend one of the four sessions.As far as kindergarten is concerned, Mr. Clemensen said there are currently 134 students enrolled, compared to the 156 who completed the program last year. He said the number of students enrolled in kindergarten is lower than the graduating senior class, but said that’s not out of the ordinary.The Sag Harbor Union Free School District, has actually seen an increase in the number of students enrolled in its pre-K program. So far, approximately 33 students are enrolled, compared to last year’s 30 students. But kindergarten numbers are down sharply: 27 students are currently enrolled, compared to the 73 students enrolled last year, according to the district’s registrar, Kristen Doran.Mary Adamczyk, the secretary to Sag Harbor Superintendent of Schools Katy Graves, said the numbers are constantly changing this time of year, and district officials will not know the exact number of students who will enroll until the first day of school.Multiple calls to the Westhampton Beach and East Hampton school districts seeking the number of students enrolled in pre-K and kindergarten programs were not returned.