King: Middle School Capacity Should Be Okay For A Few Years

The Putnam County School System is at about 80 to 85 percent capacity at the middle school level.

About 600 additional students were to go to the middle school wing of Park View, but the project’s funding mechanism was not approved by the county commission last week. Director of Schools Corby King said the district has some room for growth, but capacity could become an issue in a few years.

“I think we will be okay for another two or three more years at the middle school level before this becomes an issue,” King said. “Our primary need is in the elementary school right now. Our elementary schools just don’t have the available classroom space, but the students in the elementary School are going to move to middle school.”

King said historically, the student population has grown by about 1-2 percent each year or about 120 students. One district seems to be growing quicker than others though. King said the Prescott school zone does not have enough room for students to move up to middle school.

King said he anticipates the conversation with commissioners to come back up in about two years. King said construction while students learn and increased construction prices are concerns for when the upper grade wing is built.