Kindergarten enrollment is down for next year in Sisters

The Sisters School District will open its doors with one less kindergarten class when school starts in September. Superintendent Ted Thonstad estimates the district will have approximately 60 kindergartners, about 24 students less than this year.

One full-day and two half-day classes are planned for next year. This year the district has two all-day and two half-day classes. "This year we have 84 (students), and next year we're talking about 60," Thonstad said.

Sixty kindergartners is a fairly average number for the district. Having more than eighty students this year "was a blip for us," Thonstad said.

The district predicted that 48 students would pre-register at the kindergarten round-up on May 11. In calculating a predicted number the district advertises and takes appointments for students to pre-register. The district also contacts day care and pre-schools.

According to Thonstad, two or three students who were expected did not attend the round-up; however, elementary school secretary Veronda McConville contacted the parents of these students and confirmed that they will be enrolling. To this estimate of 48, Thonstad, with the help of McConville, calculated that likely 12 additional students will enroll over the summer.

"We generally register anywhere from 10 to 15 over the summer," he said.

Thonstad attributes the decline in students entering the Sisters school system this fall in part to the fact that Sisters' "... influx of population has slowed. I can look at the number of houses that are for sale, and they have been for sale for a while. I know that houses aren't moving as quickly as they were before. I think you've got the economy that's slowed," he said.

Thonstad noted that often people who want to move to Sisters are not able to sell their houses where they are living, making it impossible for them to relocate here.

The simple fact that fewer children living in the Sisters School District will be eligible for kindergarten this fall than last year also weighs in as a reason for the drop in enrollment.

The district charges half-day tuition for children enrolled in the all-day kindergarten.

"They pay for the second half of the day," Thonstad said. For 2007-08 tuition is $2,025. "We're trying to basically pay for what it costs us. Our goal has not been to make money. Our goal is to pay the costs. I think in some years we've made a little and in others we've lost. It just depends on the numbers."

For the first time, parents who are enrolling their children this fall in the all-day session are being asked to sign an All Day Tuition Agreement with the district.

"They pay monthly, just like if you had a child in day care. They're making a nine-month commitment. They know what the amount is. If we have to take any type of action in order to collect the dollars, we'll have a contract that they agreed to," Thonstad said.

Thonstad told The Nugget that although he favors the concept of doing business on a handshake, today's society is moving in the direction of requiring agreements to be in writing and it is prudent for the district to have an agreement on which to fall back should accounts become delinquent.

To accommodate this year's kindergarten students as they move into first grade, the district will have four instead of three first grade classes this fall. Several other changes will occur at the elementary school for next year.

"We'll have instead of a one/two blend which we have this year ... a two/three blend, so we'll have three-and-a-half (classes) in second grade and three-and-a-half (classes) in third. We'll have four in fourth," Thonstad said.

According to Thonstad, staff hours at the elementary school will increase slightly next year and a special education teacher will be added.

Any district resident wishing to enroll his or her child in either the half-day or all-day kindergarten program should contact McConville at the elementary school at 549-8981. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2007 are eligible to register for the 2007-08 school year.