Bakersfield School sees record increase
Times photo / Bruce Roberts Students pass through the hallway Monday at Bakersfield High School during class changes. The school district gained a record 42 new students as the 2019-20 school year started earlier this month, bringing the district’s total enrollment to 391, including 21 preschoolers. Superintendent Dr. Amy Britt says the district’s four-day school week is one of the factors that led to the enrollment spike.
As the new school year gets off the ground, at least one Ozark County school is seeing record enrollment increases and is having to adjust to handle the influx of new students.
Bakersfield superintendent Dr. Amy Britt said the R-4 district has a record 41-student gain in enrollment over last year’s k-12 enrollment.
“We are excited to see growth and are happy these students and parents chose Bakersfield,” Britt told the Times.
The superintendent said the growth was no accident.
“There are identifiable factors,” she said when asked what she thinks caused the enrollment spike.
“Obviously, switching to a four-day school week had something to do with it,” Britt said. “But it’s more than that. We have a great school, awesome community support, excellent facilities and the latest technologies.”
Britt said Bakersfield also offers many options for online high school enrollment, and noted that the school pays for Missouri State University courses for juniors and seniors in dual enrollment.
“We also offer many vocational options on campus and at the South Central Career Center,” Britt said.
Bakersfield’s current K-12 enrollment, not counting preschoolers, is at 379, up from 338 last year, a net gain of 41 students.
Britt said the enrollment jumped so much, in fact, the school may have to add another teacher. She said most of the new students were high schoolers.
Gainesville gains 8-10 students
Gainesville, the largest school district in the county, reported a gain of 8-10 students, said R-5 superintendent Dr. Jeffrey L. Hyatt.
“Normally the gains are lost through the year,” Hyatt said. “We have a smaller kindergarten class this year, 44 students, compared to most years.” Gainesville averages 50 kindergarteners per year, he said. This year’s 44 students are divided into three classrooms.
Gainesville’s PK-12 enrollment is 673 students.
Dora stays the same
Dora superintendent, Dr. Allen Woods said his district’s enrollment stayed the same as last year: 297 students.
Woods is beginning his first year as superintendent at Dora after previous working as an administrator at Richards School District in West Plains and at Ripley County R-3 Schools.
Lutie is down a little
Lutie’s enrollment is down five students, according to superintendent Dr. Scot Young. “It’s always fluctuating,” Young said, adding three students were supposed to enroll Tuesday.
Young said the school enrolled 140 students this year.
Thornfield
Thornfield principal Melissa Campbell said their district had a couple families move out of the district, pushing that K-8 school’s enrollment down to 38 students, compared with 43 last year.