School Board Votes To Limit Enrollment At Upperman High

The growing student numbers at Upperman High School led the Putnam County School Board Thursday night to restrict school enrollment.

Only students zoned to go to Upperman, students enrolled there this past year, or the children of full-time Putnam County School employees will be allowed to register.

Enrollment Supervisor Chris Pierce said the school will likely exceed its listed capacity when the new school year begins.

“However, student teacher ratios and class sizes are under state limits, so we’re in good shape with that,” Pierce said. “The building expansion is expected to have to help alleviate any capacity concerns that will come online soon.”

Director of Schools Corby King has said that capacity numbers at the high schools are not as critical because a number of students are off-campus during the day attending class elsewhere.

Last year, the school system limited enrollment at Upperman High School as the school year began. Pierce said it was the first time anyone could remember that happening at one of the high schools.

King said students who had already applied for transfers to Upperman prior to Thursday night have been approved.

The Priority One and Two enrollment guidelines will also be in place at the system’s elementary schools leading up to the new school year. The system regularly limits elementary enrollment priorities due to space.

“As of now, no elementary school has a capacity number above 90 percent,” Pierce said. “Mainly right now, they’re in the 70 to 80 percent range.”

The middle schools along with Cookeville High and Monterey High School will retain open enrollment policies until the start of the school year.

Putnam County closed the year Friday with 12,027 students, according to Pierce. 783 students registered for kindergarten during the spring period, a higher number than normal. Pierce said the question now is did the increase from more parents registering online early or will it be an increase in population.

“Either way we go, we really won’t know until registration day and we get into school next year,” Pierce said.