School enrollment numbers rise
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 11, 2004 2:02 PM
The number of students in classrooms around the county continues to climb, with only 71 fewer students enrolled than the same time last year.
As of Monday, the fifth day of classes, 18,982 students were reported in the schools. This compares with 19,053 at the same point a year ago.
School officials also reported that parents of 113 students took advantage of the transfer option given shortly before the start of school.
Letters advising parents of the choice were sent out to students in nine schools that did not make "adequate yearly progress."
According to federal guidelines as part of No Child Left Behind law, students in schools with a high percentage of students getting free or reduced-cost lunch that did not make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years were given the option to transfer to another school. Transportation would be provided by the school system.
The majority of transfers were from middle schools, said Dr. Willette Wooten, director of federal programs.
She said it boiled down to 38 moving from Brogden Middle School, followed by 28 from Goldsboro Middle, 24 from Dillard Middle, and 13 from North Drive Elementary.
Six transfers from Greenwood Middle were approved, along with two from Grantham, and one each from Mount Olive Middle and Eastern Wayne Elementary.
Four schools were the recipients of the transfers. Spring Creek Middle registered 54 of the students, with 41 opting to attend Rosewood Middle, 11 to School Street Elementary, and seven to Carver Heights Elementary.
As for overall enrollment, Charles B. Aycock High School continues to show growth. On the second day of school, there were 1,166 students. By Monday, the number was at 1,220.
Spring Creek Elementary's numbers leaped from 810 on the second day to 1,030 by Monday.
Eastern Wayne High School's enrollment is also on the rise, from 1,293 to 1,315.
Likewise, Southern Wayne High's numbers rose from 1,092 to 1,117, and Goldsboro High School showed an increase from 667 to 709.
Norwayne Middle School's numbers, which were down at the beginning of school, have risen from 858 to 876.
Carver Heights Elementary had 444 students at the beginning of school and 471 by the fifth day.