Sharon Schools Sees Slight Enrollment Decrease

With the start of the new school year, Sharon will have 15 students less in their schools compared to the end of school in June.

As of last week, 3,410 students were signed up to attend school in the Sharon Public Schools this year, down from 3,425.

The biggest decrease happened at the high school where enrollment is 48 students lower than last year. At the start of the new school year, 1,152 students were enrolled at the high school, compared with 1,200 last year.

The middle school, which was expected to lose over 40 students, was up eight, increasing from 789 to 797.

The most troubling statistic came from the Cottage School, which saw an increase from 479 students to 510. The school has the most students of the three elementary schools and needed an additional section of third grade to accommodate all their students.

Overall, board members were happen to see the elementary schools end up with similar enrollment numbers. East Elementary has 447 students and Heights Elementary has 502.

“What's nice is that the schools are evening out which is what our goal was,” committee member Laura Salomons said. “Obviously we have to watch the Cottage because it’s a smaller school in terms of space.”

According to Superintendent Timothy Farmer, only seven or eight students are not in their designated school due to overcrowding but will have the option to move back to their proper school next year or stay in the same elementary school for the remaining four years.