In the weeks and months following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, school districts on the South Fork saw increasing enrollment from families fleeing New York City to their houses here. Because of Covid-19, a similar occurrence could be on the horizon.
District officials in East Hampton, Sag Harbor, Bridgehampton, Montauk, Springs, and Sagaponack have all fielded inquiries from new families who are considering placing their children in schools here.
“Enrollment is going to be a wild card,” said Robert Hauser, superintendent of the Bridgehampton School District. “I think [families] are waiting until the school year finishes and we find out exactly what’s happening in New York City and New Jersey. . . . They’re curious as to what the Bridgehampton School is about. That’s been going on now about 10 weeks.”
Few public school registrations have actually taken place, however. In Springs, where the aging school building has already reached its capacity, there are two new families coming in so far. A new classroom wing and other new facilities were already under construction at the school.
“We have heard parents are waiting to hear if school will be remote learning or students will return to school,” Debra Winter, the Springs superintendent, said this week. “As you know, we are overcrowded and worry about any significant influx of students.”
However, as Jeff Nichols pointed out, students residing in a particular district are entitled to a free public education in that community. Mr. Nichols, who is the superintendent of the Sag Harbor School District, said there have been at least 22 inquiries from new families since mid-April.
“My sense is that people are being proactive in investigating options for next year,” he said.
The post-9/11 enrollment shift has a slightly different tone to it when it comes to Covid-19, some officials said. “There was most notably uncertainty, but it wasn’t what it is now with Covid-19,” said Mr. Nichols, who has been with Sag Harbor since 1997. “With 9/11, you had an uptick in people moving out here, but now it’s inquiries.”
Andi O’Hearn, head of advancement and operations at the Ross School, said there have “absolutely” been new families registering at Ross — which is sad in some ways, she said, even though it benefits the school.
“I feel really badly that these families are having to make these hard choices to leave schools they love. They aren’t unhappy, but they feel it’s safer to be here in their summer homes rather than the city,” Ms. O’Hearn said. “I’m thankful that we have space to be able to accommodate people. We are starting to fill some of the grades, but we are anticipating fewer boarders this fall, so that has freed up space.”
Ms. O’Hearn was Ross’s director of admissions, and her husband, Bill O’Hearn, was head of the school when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks happened. After the attacks, the enrollment shift “was sudden. They moved out here, enrolled, and we did everything we could to accommodate them. . . . I think they were afraid there was going to be another attack in New York, but I think there’s more uncertainty around this. This feels a little bit different.”
Most districts here have seen declining enrollment in recent years as the skyrocketing cost of housing has driven year-round families away. That means schools have the ability to absorb more students without spending too much more money on resources and teachers. That would be the case in East Hampton, where the administration has fielded about 20 inquiries.
“Of course if there are 15 kids in third grade that would be difficult, but I don’t think that would happen,” said Richard Burns, the superintendent. “Our class sizes are able to absorb students, and the middle and high schools would not be an issue at all.”
The Montauk School has had about 14 inquiries, according to Jack Perna, the superintendent. “We can absorb easily, but it depends on regulations, too,” he said, referring to social distancing.