Student count down 14

    Enrollment figures during the first few days of school in Holyoke School District Re-1J decreased by 14 from the first-day figures recorded one year ago.
    Students started classes Thursday, Aug. 16, and additions and deletions to class lists are still in progress this week.
    As of Tuesday morning, Aug. 21, the total enrollment for K-12 was 566, down from 580 recorded at the start of the 2017-18 school year.
    That includes 302 in grades K-6, 251 in grades 7-12 and 13 in Holyoke Alternative School only. One student is in both the JR/SR high and the alternative school but was included only once for count purposes.
    For state funding purposes, the actual student count is linked to the Oct. 1 enrollment, not this first-week count.
    The funded full-time equivalent student number in October will count kindergartners as half students and also counts preschoolers eligible for special education services through BOCES as half students.
    First-week counts in the district have been up and down in the last decade. They increased by 32 in 2009, dropped by 19 in 2010, increased by 16 in 2011, stayed steady in 2012, dropped by 12 in 2013, increased by 20 in 2014, dropped by six in 2015, dropped by two in 2016 and dropped by nine last year.
    The student count at Holyoke Elementary School is 302, down five from a year ago. This year’s kindergarten class lists 36 students, while last year’s senior class started the year with 42.
    Grade 7-12 enrollment shows 251 students, down 10 from a year ago.
    Holyoke Alternative School count was reported at 13 students who weren’t also counted in the JR/SR high number. This is up one from 2017-18.
    This year’s first-grade class is the largest in the district with 50 students. There are 48 students in both fourth and sixth grades.
    The kindergarten class of 36 is the smallest in the district, followed by second grade with 37, and seventh grade and senior class with 39 apiece.
    Enrollment in individual grades during the first few days of school for 2018-19 follows:
    Kindergarten 36, first grade 50, second grade 37, third grade 41, fourth grade 48, fifth grade 42, sixth grade 48, seventh grade 39, eighth grade 46, freshmen 42, sophomores 40, juniors 45, seniors 39 and alternative school 13, plus one already counted.
    Enrollment for the first week of school in past years compares as follows to the 566 count this year: 580 in 2017, 589 in 2016, 591 in 2015, 597 in 2014, 577 in 2013, 589 in 2012, 589 in 2011, 573 in 2010, 592 in 2009, 560 in 2008 and 560 in 2007.