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Putnam County Schools will collect lists for kindergarten lotteries at all but two schools as the early enrollment period approaches.
School Board Thursday night approved the student registration plan. The lottery could occur everywhere but Jere Whitson and Prescott. Enrollment Supervisor Chris Pierce said it will all depend on how projected kindergarten enrollment shakes out beginning April 2.
“Our new kindergartners will need to go ahead and enroll at their zone school, just in case they are not successful in the lottery at all, anywhere,” Pierce said. “And that way we’re guaranteed a seat for them in a school. And at the end of the enrollment window, which will be the 19th, I will get with the principals to develop a time for a lottery at their schools, if needed.
Four schools begin the enrollment period with capacities at or above 90 percent, led by Jere Whitson at 96 percent and Prescott South at 92 percent. Capshaw and Sycamore are also at 90 percent. As enrollment begins, Jere Whitson and Prescott South will only allow zoned students, or out of zone students enrolled last year at that school, or the children of full time school employees.
The middle and high schools will have open enrollment through April 19, allowing specifically fourth and eighth graders to make decisions about their next school.
“After that point, we’ll have to see where we are, if we can extend that, or it’s just closed,” Pierce said. “And that’ll be per school.”
As of this week, 11,744 students are enrolled in the Putnam County Schools. The system’s enrollment is down from a year ago with the number of home schooled students up 35 percent from last year. Piece said close to 1,200 students are home schooled.
The average enrollment stands at 86.7 percent among the elementary schools, 78 percent at the middle school level, and 87 percent at the high schools.
“When we say that schools are at whatever percent capacity, a lot of times people think, ‘oh, they got that much more room,'” School Board Chair Kim Cravens said. “But our schools are also program-based. So a school might be at 95 percent capacity, but based on the programs we have, you can’t fit another classroom because they’re all being used. So truthfully, if we had all of our schools at 100 percent, we’d probably be way overcrowded.”
Parents can begin the kindergarten registration process online Tuesday, April 2. Pierce said parents can take care of a lot of the basics online. The final day to register is Friday, April 19. In-person registration will take place Tuesday, April 9 from 1-5pm.
Parents interested in the lottery for an out-of-zone school should apply by calling that school after enrolling online.
