Enrollment drops at Frankton-Lapel schools

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LAPEL —Decreasing student enrollment at Frankton-Lapel schools has not set off an alarm, but it is something Superintendent Bobby Fields and the school board will be watching carefully in the coming years.

A decline in enrollment for the 2019-20 school year marks the third-straight year enrollment numbers have dropped at Frankton-Lapel schools.

Fields and the board discussed enrollment numbers at the most recent school board meeting Thursday, Sept. 12.

After having a combined enrollment total of more than 1,500 from its three schools in each of the last five years, Lapel schools have dropped under that mark for 2019-20.

Lapel Elementary (705), Lapel Middle School (326) and Lapel High School (460) have a combined 1,491 students. The schools’ totals had increased from 2017-18 (1,518) to 2018-19 (1,526).

All three schools have fewer students than a year ago. The elementary school dropped from 723 to 705, the middle school from 330 to 326 and the high school from 473 to 460.

The largest class among all the Lapel schools is the sophomore class with 128 students, 11 more than it had last year. From kindergarten to 12th grade, the seventh grade has the smallest class with 99 students, but it is up two students from the 2018-19 sixth-grade class.

The biggest drop in the overall total comes from the pre-kindergarten classes. The class has 55 students this year after having 73 in 2018-19.

The combined enrollment for the corporation’s elementary and secondary schools at both Frankton and Lapel schools for 2019-20 is 3,021.

Enrollment for 2016-17 was 3,042, an all-time high. In 2017-18, the enrollment figure dropped to 3,033. In 2018-19 the figure was 3,032.

Though there has been a small drop in each of the last four years, the 2015-16 school year marked the first time the FLCS schools reached 3,000 (3,041) in enrollment.

“All of our numbers are pretty consistent from 12th grade all the way back to third grade,” Fields said.

He did add some concern at kindergarten through second grade at Frankton Elementary, where the school has its three smallest classes, ranging from 96 to 107 students.

“It’s something we need to keep an eye on,” Fields said.

The other classes at the schools range from 120 to 149 students.

Public hearings

In a public hearing for the 2019-20 school budget, Fields announced the advertised tax levies and tax rates for the Education Fund (formerly the General Fund), Debt Service Fund and the Operation Fund.

For Debt Service, the tax levy being advertised is $4,916,287 with a net tax rate of 1.0925%. The Education Fund total budget estimate is being projected as $19,786,700, which is the fund the state pays, not local taxpayers.

The Operation Fund tax levy is $3,406,001 with a tax rate of .7569%.

There was no public comment on the school’s projected budget. The board is scheduled to adopt the budget at its next meeting, Oct. 10.

There was also a public hearing for the 2019-20 teacher contracts. Formal negotiations for teacher’s contract began earlier this week.

Fields said it was the first year the corporation has had to have a pre-negotiations meeting.

Personnel report

The board approved four volunteer coaches for Lapel High School, including Michelle Anderson (volleyball), Madison Bauer (volleyball), Dan Combs (cross country) and Samuel Parkinson (tennis).

At its August meeting, the board approved the resignation of Lapel Middle School science teacher Robert Jennings.

Also in August, the board approved the following recommendations:

• Lapel Elementary — Madison Hensley (kindergarten teacher)

• Lapel Middle School — Greg Baker (golf coach), Tiffany Boone (eighth-grade volleyball coach), Christene Campbell (junior high cheerleader/Pep Club sponsor, sixth grade cheerleader/Pep Club sponsor), Chris Cartwright (summer football coach), Sara Copeland (seventh-grade volleyball coach), Mark Jones (sixth-grade boys basketball), Sharon Largent (tennis coach), Jordan Maxey (wrestling coach), Mark Miller (football coach), Sam Miller (assistant football coach), Jamie Morrison (softball club sponsor), Jeremy Newman (baseball club sponsor), Tammy Richardson (boys and girls cross country coach, eighth-grade class sponsor, and building help desk support), Tyler Stone (baseball club sponsor).

• Lapel High School — Ron Buckner (assistant boys basketball), Justin Coomer (boys and girls tennis coach, assistant boys basketball coach), Trevor Cress (assistant football coach), Dylan Crosley (boys and girls golf coach), Mackenzie Crosley (assistant golf coach, volunteer), Kaitlin Dobbins (assistant girls basketball coach, freshman girls basketball coach), Hilary Eppert (varsity volleyball coach, summer volleyball coach), Rebecca Kadinger (assistant volleyball coach), Sean Kirby (assistant wrestling coach), Jimmy McDole (assistant girls basketball coach, freshman girls basketball coach), Tom McMillan (assistant football coach), Cameron Mendel (assistant girls basketball coach, freshman girls basketball coach, assistant baseball coach), Ashley Miller (guard director), Todd Miller (assistant football coach), Kim Murdock (assistant girls track coach), Kirsten Rich (assistant softball coach), Scott Rich (varsity softball coach), Darrell Richardson (girls and boys cross country coach), Zach Stilwell (assistant wrestling coach), Tina Wilson (varsity cheerleader sponsor, student council sponsor and senior and sophomore class sponsor).

Leader leads

Lapel High School’s Cole Alexander, president of the senior class, member of the Bulldog Leadership Council and quarterback of the school’s football team, opened the meeting by leading those in attendance with the Pledge of Allegiance.