Enrollment in Elementary School District 25 did not increase as much as officials predicted.
A board report last week showed 4,440 pupils enrolled in the nine schools in the kindergarten through 8th-grade district. This is 18 pupils more than the number reported at this time last year, said Joe Ward, assistant superintendent for planning.
Surprisingly for district officials, there are 36 fewer kindergartners this year than last year, with a total of 444 pupils enrolled. The increase in enrollment came in the higher grade levels, Ward said. Second grade saw an increase of 33 pupils, bringing that grade total to 550 pupils; 5th grade saw an increase of 50 pupils, bringing that grade total to 497 pupils; and 8th grade saw an increase of 28 pupils, bringing that grade total to 478 pupils. The largest pupil declines were seen in kindergarten, 1st and 6th grades.
Dryden Elementary School experienced the largest increase of pupils with 34 more than last year, bringing total enrollment to 416.
