Incoming classes expected to be smaller
Williamsville School Board discusses resident issues
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

The Williamsville Central School District shouldn't see any major changes in next year's student population.

Hezel Associates, LLC of Syracuse presented the 2008-09 enrollment projections at the Dec. 11 School Board meeting.

Steven Grossman, chief operating office for Hezel, said last year's projection was within 10 students of the actual enrollment, an improvement from 2006 when the projection was off by 126.

"Future trends show that kindergarten classes are going to continue to be smaller than 12th grade for a while," he said. "Williamsville will stay in the 10,000 ballpark for a while."

This year's enrollment for the district's 13 schools is 10,649.

In the middle schools, Grossman recommended the district keep an eye on Mill and Transit. With 961 pupils this year, Transit is projected to increase over the next five years, reaching 1,000 in 2012-13. It is the largest of the four middle schools.

An increase of 30 students is estimated at Transit for next year, with statistics indicating the fifthand eighth-grade classes - the incoming and outgoing population - will be similar in size, experiencing a small increase.

"There will be a little crowding, but we don't see it going up and up and up," Grossman said.

At Mill, which has a current population of 906, the projection is for the school to see a drop in pupils over the next few years.

"We think this is the peak for Mill, but that is still to be seen when we get there," he said.

Minor changes are expected at Casey and Heim middle schools.

The six elementary schools will also see only small changes. Because of that, Grossman is recommending no changes to the current feeder pattern - the determining factor involving which schools, elementary, middle and high, a student will attend.

Heim Elementary's enrollment is expected to decrease by 43 pupils due to a large fourth-grade class leaving and being replaced by smaller kindergarten classes. The population is expected to drop from 639 to 621.

In the three high schools, decreases are projected during the next five years. North, the largest, is expected to drop from 1,575 to 1,402 by 2013. East is expected to decrease by 34 students and South by 127.

Grossman reiterated that smaller classes will be entering the schools. Statistics show a decrease in birth rates in Western New York, although a consistent kindergarten enrollment rate at Williamsville. He said that clearly indicates families are moving into the district.

Trustee Ronald Shubert questioned how the Lake Forest North subdivision would affect the population at Mill Middle.

With a large eighth-grade class leaving, changes aren't expected, and Superintendent Howard S. Smith added that only a few students live in that subdivision at present.

The discussion prompted Trustee Camille Eichorn to question whether that subdivision could be returned to the North High School feeder pattern, which also places pupils in Heim elementary and middle schools.

Currently, those students attend, Forest Elementary, Mill Middle and South High. According to Eichorn, students from that subdivision total 24, four and eight, respectively.

She said it has been an issue for the five years she has been on the board and that Heim and North could handle the change.

The item will be placed on the agenda of the next board meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8.

In a related matter, the board also discussed other attendance anomalies - streets, or portions of streets, that aren't assigned to a typical feeder pattern.

The board adopted the revision of the policy concerning school attendance areas. Eichorn, Stephen Munschauer and Carrie Kahn voted no, saying they wanted more information on the current anomalies.

Smith said he believed there was confusion among the board members, saying that at the last meeting he had been asked for a definition of these situations. Munschauer and Eichorn both stated they wanted to know the geographic locations of the anomalies.

Anna Cieri, assistant superintendent of student services, said she would guess there were 10 cases. As to how to "fix" them, she said that depends on the families that would be affected - if they want to switch or not. The district would also look at upcoming students and when the best time would be to make a change.

Munschauer said he wants the anomalies identified first.

"How can we fix something if we haven't identified it?" he asked.

The policy was adopted as submitted.

In another matter, the board recognized Jessica Calzi, a senior at East High School, for receiving an Award of Excellence in the National PTA Reflections Program last year. She was honored for dance choreography and was one of only three students honored in the senior division for that category nationwide.

Also recognized was Casey Matthews, a senior at North High School. She is the three-time winner of the 1-meter state diving championship. She is considered one of the best divers in history from a New York high school.

Also from North, the field hockey team was recognized for winning the Class-A State Championship in November. Senior Chantae Miller was recently named a Second Team All-American in the sport.

For more district news, visit www. williamsvillek12. org.