For the week of Aug 28 - Sept 3, 2002

Schools reopen for year

Majority show increased enrollment

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Both the public and private schools in the Wood River Valley opened their doors for classes Monday morning.

The Blaine County School District reported a total of 3,203 students enrolled this year in the schools, up from last year’s enrollment of 3,143.

An expectant group of students arrives at the Wood River High School in Hailey on the first day of school Monday. Express photo by David N. Seelig

However, Cathy Zaccardi, assistant to Superintendent Jim Lewis, said it’s not uncommon for those numbers to shake out and are often not accurate.

The Developmental Preschool in Bellevue has nine students up from six last year. This program serves handicapped 3- to 5-year-olds

The Bellevue Elementary School, which serves kindergarten through second grade, has 367 students, down from last year’s 437. Also, 60 of those kids are second graders who are now ensconced at Hailey Elementary School.

The Carey School has 239 students, compared to last year’s 238.

Hailey Elementary School—second through fifth grades—has 527students, compared to last year’s 436. Also, this year’s enrollment includes 60 pupils who were transferred for second grade from Bellevue.

In Ketchum, at Ernest Hemingway Elementary School there are 412 enrollees in kindergarten through fifth grade, down from 423 last year. The difference, Zacaardi said, is due to full kindergarten programs at both the Christian School and Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood.

The Wood River Middle School—sixth through eighth grade—has 734 kids enrolled, down from a high of 771 last year.

The Silver Creek Alternative School has 34 students, compared to last year’s 30.

At the Wood River High School the number that was tallied on day one of school was 881, compared to 802 last year. The incoming freshman class is the largest class the district has ever had, at approximately 260. However, WRHS Principal Graham Hume said he is not yet "comfortable with that number," said Zaccardi. "He’s thinking it’s a lot less."

"It takes about three or four days for all that to level out." Hume said exhaustedly late Monday afternoon.

At The Community School in Sun Valley there are 335 students enrolled, including an AFS student from Ecuador. The pre-school has 27 students. The lower school—kindergarten through fifth grade—has 102 students. The middle school has 87 enrolled, while the upperschool has 120 students.

The Community School’s director of Admissions, Andrea Baker said, "All the numbers are all times highs. We are just packed."

 

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