Enrollment at Springs School Soars
At its meeting on Monday the Springs School Board again grappled with increasing enrollment and what the influx of students will likely mean for the coming budget season.
Over the past decade, the school has seen enrollment soar by almost 200, from 555 students in 2004 to 736 as of last week. Districtwide, in grades pre-K to 12, Springs now enrolls 1,100 students.
“We’re at 101 percent capacity,” said Eric Casale, the principal, who led a presentation on scheduling and enrollment. “Every space is being used creatively — and then some.”
Mr. Casale also said that the district sends 31 students to the Child Development Center of the Hamptons, a charter school with open enrollment. Many families, he explained, see its full-day pre-K program as a particular draw, with some opting to continue there for kindergarten and beyond. Currently, Springs offers only a half-day pre-K program.
If the children currently attending C.D.C.H. were to suddenly enroll at the Springs School, class sizes, particularly among the youngest grades, could easily swell to as large as 35 or 36, predicted Mr. Casale.
“It’s now my fourth time standing here talking about space. I want to make sure the community hears it loud and clear,” the principal said. “We’re really stretched with what we can do here. We’re being very creative. But there’s a limit to how much you can stretch.”
John Finello, the district superintendent, said the district faced not only increasing enrollment, but an expanded state-mandated curriculum that makes scheduling, and use of space, difficult.
During public comments, Tracey Frazier, a teacher, spoke of “so many little and big bodies in this building,” all jostling for space, with crowded conditions in the hallways and not enough bathrooms, lockers, or places in the computer labs.
“In two years, we’re going to have classes running around on buses,” urged Mary Jane Arceri, a Springs resident and former teacher. “There are 12 of us here, but we really need to start educating the rest of the public so the community can know how crowded we are and how dire these needs are.”
In other news, Lisa Matz, the PTA president, informed the audience that a “turkey trot” is planned for Nov. 24, beginning at 9 a.m. Students in grades kindergarten to 8 can walk, run, or trot over an established course, with parents and community members pledging however much they wish for each lap covered. All the proceeds will benefit the school’s swimming and ice-skating programs. The school’s booster club has donated an elaborate finish line, valued at $950, and organizers hope to make the event an annual happening. The Hamptons Marathon will donate a pallet of water.
Fourth graders, meanwhile, are gearing up for the 18th annual Springs Opera. In that connection, the school board approved stipends for seven teachers on Monday, with expenses totaling $13,568.
The school board will meet next on Dec. 8, at 7 p.m.