District 6 continues to lose students

Enrollment counts in School District 6 are down again this year.

Official October enrollment numbers show the district down 95 students from last year. This year in kindergarten through 12th grade there are 2,297 students, while last year there were 2,392.

Counts taken in October are averaged for three years and determine the amount of funding the district will get from the state. Funding is awarded on a per student basis both at the elementary and high school levels.

Funding for the high school level in 2011 is projected to be down 4.08 percent based on enrollment funding. However, even with other additional funding sources, the high school budget is expected to be about $50,000 less than the year before.

A similar situation is expected in the elementary budget, with enrollment funding expected to decrease 1.46 percent next year.

"This is a first. We've never had less money than we had the year before," said Superintendent Michael Nicosia. "Our expenses have exceeded our revenue, but we've never had less money (to start with)."

Enrollment at the elementary schools has been declining for the past several years.

Canyon Elementary has seen significant drops in enrollment. This year's first grade class has eight students and the third grade has 10. Other grades have dropped but stayed relatively stable.

Enrollment numbers at Ruder Elementary and Glacier Gateway peaked in 2007 and have continued to drop as well.

At the elementary level, this year's count showed a loss of 75 students.

Dropping numbers at the Canyon school raises the question of keeping that school open.

But at this time, the district has no plans to close the school.

Logistically it would be possible to absorb Canyon students into the other elementary schools in the future.

Two addition staff members would likely be needed for the change, but even with that the district, could see substantial savings.

Nicosia said it costs over $1 million to run Canyon Elementary.

At the high school, there are 779 students this year, down from 830. This year's freshmen class has 179 students.

"That the smallest (freshmen class' we've had for a long time," said Nicosia.

In other news:

• Approved the purchase of two 2010 Blue Bird route buses. An American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant will pay for 43 percent of the cost.

• Voted to approve a contract with Atlas Track and Tennis to complete a district track facility at the junior high. The cost of installing the running track and facilities is about $178,000. The cost