School sees small decrease in enrollment
RANDOLPH – When it comes to enrollment at small schools, one family can make all of the difference.
Randolph Public Schools saw a slight dip in its overall enrollment, mostly due to one large family moving out of the district.
That family had five students enrolled at Randolph Elementary last year. Another family living outside the school district decided to send their child to the district they reside in, said Elementary Principal Denton Beacom.
As a result, the 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.
Some quick math calculates the total district student roster at 250.
There are 20 kindergarten students currently enrolled; 24 in first grade; 21 in second grade; 22 in third grade; 21 in fourth grade; 23 in fifth grade, 11 in sixth grade; 18 in seventh grade; 18 in eighth grade; 24 freshmen; 15 sophomores; 14 juniors; and 19 seniors.
Enrollment fluctuations are natural, said Superintendent Daryl Schrunk, and a reflection of the community.
Like most school districts in the region, Schrunk takes an active interest in current enrollment and projected enrollment. He recently sent a letter to all families who live in the district, but opted into a different one asking for feedback and introducing himself as the new superintendent.
Schrunk also wants to be an active part of working with city leaders to recruit people to town.
“How do you get 25- to 35-year-olds back to Randolph? A lot of it is being part of the solution with the community and being involved with economic development, housing rehab, housing development, and the city luring potential businesses,” he said.
Another strategy is to make students more aware of the opportunities for them right in their hometown.
Schrunk has started an Adopt-a-Door program where local business representatives greet students at the start of the school day.
“We’re blessed to have a grocery store, a couple hardware stores, an auto parts store; we want to promote them in our school and share with our kids the different fields within our own community,” he said.
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* Knights of Columbus ranked #6 in the permanent life insurance category on Forbes 2022 America’s Best Insurance Companies list. Forbes partnered with Statista to independently survey more than 16,000 customers who owned at least one insurance policy across 7 insurance product categories.