Enrollment up at EIS

Enrollment at Elizabethtown Independent Schools is up this year, and is sitting at one of the largest totals the district has seen recently, said Nate Huggins, assistant superintendent for student and district support services.

The mid-week total for the district, not including preschool students, is 2,413, which is the largest the district has seen in recent years, Huggins said.

The increased numbers are at both ends of the age spectrum in the district. Elizabethtown High School saw an enrollment of 788 students in the middle of the week, he said.

“That’s the largest we’ve been since I can recall,” he said.

Kindergarten enrollment also is up with about 190 students in that grade at Panther Academy, a new school. Panther Academy’s enrollment is at 237 students. Helmwood Heights Elementary School has 407 students, Morningside Elementary School has enrolled 463 students, and T.K. Stone Middle School had 549 students in the middle of the week.

Huggins said numbers for the elementaries and middle school have held fairly steady from the past year.

The district may hire another kindergarten teacher, and another bus driver will be hired, but Director of Personnel Cora Wood said more hires don’t appear to be necessary at this point.

Huggins said members of the district enjoy being on the small side for school districts.

“We love our small size, that’s one of the strengths of our district,” he said.

At the same time, they like to see the district grow, he said.

“It’s great to have the higher numbers,” he said.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505–1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.