Education

Unexpected spike in student numbers maxes out Mat-Su schools

WASILLA -- Schools in the Mat-Su are scrambling to keep up with a surprise influx of students that's swelling class sizes and causing a scramble for more teachers.

Administrators in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District say they projected nearly 300 more students for this year than last. But they didn't expect 150 over that prediction, with much of the rapid growth centered around Wasilla. The district now has 434 more students than last year, according to Superintendent Deena Paramo.

"We expected growth," Paramo said Tuesday. "We just didn't expect the significance of this growth."

Usually the 18,000-student district adds more enrollment through the first few weeks of school, hitting targets after Labor Day, she said. "We hit our target the third day of school … so we have a feeling that we are just going to continue to grow and be more than 430 -- we believe closer to 550."

Banking off the increased per-student state payments that followed the influx, Paramo on Friday approved 10 new teachers and said the district is now looking to bring on additional aides.

The schools bearing the brunt of the unexpected enrollment are Teeland Middle School, Redington Junior/Senior High School and Wasilla High School. Three of the new teachers are bound for Redington and another three to Teeland.

The Mat-Su population continues to swell, with newcomers drawn to easy recreational access, lower density and relatively affordable land. U.S. Census estimates put the borough's population at nearly 98,000 last year. The borough grew by 10 percent between 2010 and 2014, compared to 3.7 percent growth statewide.

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Based on a survey taken at one school, Paramo said, students are coming from all over: about a third from Outside, 20 percent from other schools in the district, 20 percent from Anchorage and 20 percent from other parts of Alaska.

A construction boom around Teeland, along with numerous boundary exemptions from students outside the area, contributed to the higher numbers, Principal Jason Ross said. The school is 91 students over projection.

Teeland's largest class, a sixth-grade science class, has 45 students in it, Ross said. The new teachers will allow the school to reduce class sizes soon, but officials are still working on a new schedule.

"You have to go student by student to get that done," he said.

Wasilla High's continued growth surprised school officials, who figured that nearby Redington opening this fall in an overlapping boundary would draw students out. Instead, Wasilla's student population jumped from a projected 980 to 1,102 as loyal students stayed put.

The school also lost seven teaching positions to the new school, Principal Amy Spargo said Wednesday, as students thronged the hallways at the end of the day. So Wasilla basically has the the same number of students as last year but with fewer teachers.

Wasilla's biggest classes -- physical education -- number in the 40s, Spargo said. Some science electives and required senior courses are in the mid-30s. She said the school is managing with the teachers it has, however.

A former Wasilla student who shifted to the new school sent his old principal an email. She said: "My classes are way too crowded at Redington. I'm wondering if I can come back to Wasilla High? It was never this crowded."

At Redington, which held an opening celebration just last week, there's already talk of adding three portables outside to handle extra students. At least a few classes now hold 48 students.

The school is already 100 students over projection, at 469 students total and quickly nearing the 540-student capacity with 11th and 12th grades still not folded into the mix, Principal Tom Lytle said after the opening event last week. The additional teachers will help -- for now.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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