Kindergarten Numbers Expected to be High - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Kindergarten Numbers Expected to be High

Minot's increasing population also means an increase in enrollment for elementary schools.
Kelli Volk reports on the growing number of students within Minot Public Schools.

Elementary schools in Minot have a mission for this fall:  making room for incoming kindergarten students.
Due to projections of higher enrollment, the school district is currently weighing the possibilities of adding more teachers and space
Assistant Elementary Superintendent, Jeff Holm, says the district is seeing indications that enrollment numbers are running well ahead of what they were last year.
(Jeff Holm, Assistant Superintendent for Minot Public Schools)"  We don't typically track it with firm numbers in May, but just based on past experiences we have schools who have just as many kids registered now as they typically have show up in the fall, or more."
Because the school district closes it's doors in the beginning of June and opens back up in August, it can be difficult to gauge future enrollment.  
Holm says the school district may need to employ a District Enrollment Specialist to help Minot Public Schools prepare for incoming students.
(Jeff Holm, Assistant Superintendent for Minot Public Schools)"Rooms are a real issue.  We looked at where we might need portable classrooms. We just think we want to be ahead of the curve if we can."
With so many adjustments in the works, timing seems to be a key factor.  Holm says if a family knows they will have a child enrolling in kindergarten, the school should be notified as soon as possible.
(Jeff Holm, Assistant Superintendent for Minot Public Schools)"It would be very nice if parents would enroll as soon as possible.  We strongly encourage them to contact their schools in the next couple of weeks if they could."
In Minot, Kelli Volk, KX News.

The school district currently has 571 kindergarten students enrolled for this fall, which is more than what they've ended with in previous years.