Schools
Crofton School Redistricting, by the Numbers
As parents start their work on solving the overcrowding problem at Nantucket Elementary, Patch offers a look at the school enrollment numbers in the Crofton area.
The 16-member committee charged with recommending ways to redistrict schools in Crofton got its start on Monday night.
Now the group is neck deep in data and will meet several more times before presenting a plan to Anne Arundel County Schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell.
The enrollment numbers from the school system make it clear that Nantucket Elementary School has an overcrowding problem. Projected enrollment for 2012 is 819, and the school has a capacity of just 684. Meanwhile, Crofton Woods Elementary is close to capacity and Crofton Elementary is almost 90 percent full. Crofton Meadows, however, has some space.
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Here are the current and projected numbers. Note that enrollment data for 2012 won't be officially ready until Sept. 30.
School Capacity 2012 current 2012 projected 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 % utilization Crofton Elem 656 537 547 555 565 553 571 576 88% Crofton Meadows 613 436 381 378 374 375 355 359 59% Crofton Woods 570 604 579 564 559 569 560 558 98% Nantucket 684 819 821 841 858 865 879 882 129% Arundel Middle 1,071 871 884 892 910 935 944 948 89% Crofton Middle 1,274 1,159 1,159 1,171 1,195 1,226 1,237 1,241 97% Arundel High 2,025 1,974 1,985 1,956 1,930 1,937 1,949 1,984 98% South River 2,133 2,266 2,269 2,237 2,207 2,215 2,230 2,269 106%Source: Anne Arundel County Public Schools
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There are a few things to note about these numbers.
- These capacity numbers factor in space after planned renovations and expansions at Crofton Elementary, Crofton Meadows and Crofton Middle. Those are expected to be all complete by 2014 or 2015.
- School officials acknowledge that while this current discussion centers on overcrowding at the elementary school level, the two high schools are also getting close to being full. (Meade High School, located to the west and serving Laurel and portions of Odenton, is already at capacity as well.)
"You do need to know that as part of this process, we are looking at where do we go with our high school solutions," said Alex Szachnowicz, the chief operating officer for Anne Arundel County Schools.
- School officials also revealed Monday that while Crofton Meadows has more available capacity than any other elementary school in Crofton, it unexpectedly got about 50 more kindergartners it projected this year. They are unclear as to why.
"It is one of those things that makes you go, 'Hmm,'" said Chuck Yocum, the AACPS specialist for demographic planning. "I've scratched my head many a night on this in the last couple of weeks."
Check back with Patch for additional including more details on the possibility of a new high school in Crofton.
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