Friday, August 3, 2001
|
Friday, August 3, 2001 |
|
Nearly 17,100 students expected next week
The Coweta County School System recorded an enrollment of 16,565 students during the last enrollment period of the year, 2000-2001. It anticipates an enrollment of approximately 17,100 students to begin the 2001-2002, following several years trend of 5 percent increases in enrollment over previous years' beginning. As of July 11 (the last Board of Education meeting), the school system employed more than 1,100 certified classroom teachers, with fewer than 10 teaching positions left to be filled before the first day of school. The system also usually adds a few more teachers as needed (depending on enrollment) once schools open. In all, for the 2001-2002 school year, the Coweta County School System will have added approximately 60 certified classroom teaching positions over the last school year. Most of those positions (29.5) will be in grades K-3. The Board of Education, at its budget meeting in May, created 20 new kindergarten and third grade certified teaching positions, following a commitment made by the board over two years ago to reduce early-grade pupil-teacher ratios to a maximum of 20 to 1 per class. Pupil-teacher ratios in first grade were lowered to maximum of 20-1 two years ago, and to 20-1 in second grade last year. The board is continuing to meet those class size standards this year, with first and second grade classes maintaining a maximum students enrollment of 20 students to one teacher this year, with some schools having even less than that amount (again, depending on enrollment). This year, third grade classes were lowered from a maximum class size of 23-1 to a maximum class size of 20-1, and kindergarten classes, which had a maximum class size of 241, with a paraprofessional in every class, was lowered to 20-1, with a paraprofessional in each class. Those maximum class sizes in grades K through three exceed the requirements for early grade class sizes required under state law. Maximum class sizes in grades one through three are set at 23 under state law, and Coweta County's class sizes in grades four and five also exceed state requirements. One major new program this year at Coweta County High Schools is the Ninth Grade Academy at all three high schools, and the freshman focus class. Ninth Grade Academy is a new approach for entering high school students in Coweta County Schools. Ninth grade students will not occupy separate wings or buildings, but ninth graders will have separate orientations, and follow a specific curriculum during their first year in high school. For example, all ninth graders will attend freshman focus classes during their first year in high school, as well as a core of classes including English 9, biology, civics, math and various electives. Freshman focus classes will provide students with the factual information and study skills necessary to be successful in high school. The class is intended to reduce common first-year student difficulties. Instruction will focus on enhancing literacy and study skills, time management, team building, conflict resolution, career guidance, programs of study and high school graduation requirements. The new seven-member school councils at Arnco-Sargent Elementary School, Smokey Road Middle School and Northgate High School are perhaps the major new pilot effort in the Coweta County School System. State law the 2000 A-Plus Education reform Act created the councils, and required pilot councils this year. At least half of all the schools in state school systems must have councils by the 2002-2003 school year, and all schools will have the councils by the following year. Coweta County School System may require all schools in the county to have the councils by 2002-2003, however. The councils are made up of two parents, two teachers, two members of the business community, and are chaired by the schools principal. They can serve a number of roles, but are given the principal mission of finding ways to improve academic performance at their schools. There will be no new school openings during the 2001-02 school year, and no changes in districts or classrooms, except for the Maggie Brown Pre-Kindergarten Center, which will be reopened as a school this year, and will serve five pre-K classes. The Central Educational Center also will open 65,000 square feet of new space when two new wings are opened there Aug. 9. The new space will allow expansion of a number of new labs and programs at the seamless education charter school, will allow expansion of existing technology programs at CEC, and will help the school accommodate an expected enrollment of 2,200 students this year, up from 1,300 last year. Construction has begun on the new Willis Road Elementary School, at the intersection of Willis and Bob Smith Roads near Sharpsburg. The school is slated to open in the fall of 2002, and that will require a redistricting process during the spring of 2002 for new district lines for the 2002-2003 school year.
|
||