Area schools experience enrollment declines

HARTINGTON – Enrollment at Cedar County's public schools declined this school year, with two schools experiencing double-digit decreases.

Hartington-Newcastle’s total enrollment sits at 381 students, down 14 students from last year.

Superintendent A.J. Johnson said some families moved out of the district, which affected total enrollment.

The elementary school – preschool through sixth grades – contains 214 students, while seventh through 12th grades totals 156.

The largest class is 37 in sixth grade. Other class sizes are: preschool, 21; kindergarten, 25; first grade, 31; second grade, 22; third grade, 34; fourth grade, 16; fifth grade, 28; seventh grade, 28; eighth grade, 23; freshman, 31; sophomore, 25; junior, 23; senior, 26.

That roster reflects the beginning of the academic year and there has already been some fluctuations. Some district students not included in the class totals were placed outside of the school district, Johnson said.

He said the incoming preschool class was not as large as the 2023 graduating class, which also causes overall enrollment to slide year to year.

All of the other public schools in Cedar County – Wynot, Randolph and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge – also experienced declines in school enrollment.

Laurel-Concord-Coleridge’s school enrollment decreased by 24 students year over year.

The district’s total enrollment, which includes the elementary, middle and high schools, stands at 392 students, compared to 416 at this time last year.

LCC Elementary brings in 150 students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade; the middle school, 103 students in grades five through eight; and the high school, 139 students in grades nine through 12.

High school enrollment is up slightly compared to the 2022-23 academic year, but the other two schools’ enrollment fell.

“We had a larger class graduate this past year and have a very small class of kindergarten students this year,” said Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen. “Both our kindergarten and second-grade classes are smaller than typical.”

Randolph’s public schools also saw a dip in overall enrollment, sitting at a total of 250 students for the 2023-24 academic year.

Randolph’s K-6 total enrollment for the 2023-24 school year stands at 142 students. The elementary started the previous year at 151 and ended in May with 149.

Randolph’s Junior and Senior High census increased by one student from last year, said High School Principal Brandi Bartels, with a total 7-12 enrollment of 108.

Wynot’s enrollment is down three students, landing at a total enrollment of 183 students for the 2023-24 school year.

Enrollment numbers increased slightly in the elementary with patrons responding positively to the addition of new pre-kindergarten facilities, said Superintendent Paul Hans. But decreases in student enrollment were seen at the middle school and high school levels due to parents’ work relocations requiring transfers outside of the district, he said.