Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools may reassign students to cope with overcrowding

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools expects to see enrollment increases a year before it will be equipped to handle them.

The district plans to open a new elementary school to deal with overcrowding as early as 2013 — but three elementary schools expect to have too many students enroll in 2012.

At tonight’s Board of Education meeting, school officials will consider moving students from an overcrowded Glenwood Elementary to the less-full Rashkis Elementary to deal with the growing problem.

Overcrowding woes

The district reached 104 percent capacity at the beginning of the current school year, with Glenwood, Seawell and Carrboro Elementary schools most overcrowded.

Kevin Morgenstein Fuerst, coordinator of student enrollment, said more students are predicted to enroll in those schools next year due to normal growth, but the schools can’t handle it.

In the past, the board has dealt with overcrowding through spot redistricting, adding modular classrooms and converting teacher offices into classrooms.

In the past year, the district spent about $300,000 to add mobile classrooms and extra spaces at Glenwood Elementary, said Todd LoFrese, assistant superintendent for Support Services.

“Really it’s the utilization of every nook and cranny in the school,” Morgenstein Fuerst said.

But the schools no longer have enough space for temporary fixes.

“We are using all of the available spaces and then some,” LoFrese said.

Tackling the problem

As the board worries about overcrowding, Glenwood Elementary School is its focus.

For the 2011-2012 school year, 505 students enrolled at Glenwood despite a 423 student cap. For 2012-2013, enrollment is expected to rise to 522 students.

At tonight’s meeting, the board will consider reassigning the Glenwood segment 132, which includes the Glen Lennox area, to Rashkis Elementary School.

This could move 37 students to Rashkis Elementary, leaving 485 students at Glenwood Elementary — 62 students above the cap.

LoFrese said making children move schools could be disruptive and could impact learning.

Seawell Elementary Principal Marny Ruben said Seawell is also dealing with overcrowding, with an estimated 20 to 30 student increase next year.

“It’s enough to add another classroom and we don’t have anymore classroom space,” she said.

Ruben said overcrowding can prevent schools from providing extra help to children who need it, but she thinks the board realizes the gravity of the problem.

“I feel confident that they are working on it and will help us have a solution,” Ruben said.

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