Greenland Student Enrollment Dips
Last updated Tuesday, August 19, 2008 9:17 PM CDT in News
By Rose Ann Pearce
The Morning News
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GREENLAND - Financially strapped Greenland schools enjoyed a good first day, even though attendance was down significantly, painting a challenging picture for district attempts to turn itself around.
A total of 821 students were registered for the new school year, however only 765 students actually showed up Monday, said Roland M. Smith, Greenland's state-appointed superintendent.
Some may have moved and haven't notified the district. Some may show up in the coming days after returning from a late summer vacation. Most school officials say attendance usually stabilizes after Labor Day.
In Greenland's case, students generate state dollars to pay teacher salaries, buy textbooks and erase the district's debt. More students translate to more state dollars; conversely, a drop in students means fewer state dollars. School districts are to receive $5,876 per student in foundation aid this school year, according to the Arkansas Department of Education.
The first official enrollment count is taken Oct. 1. Greenland's enrollment on Oct. 1, 2007, was 936.
Some Greenland administrators, including Smith, predicted the district could lose as many as 100 students because of the turmoil over the summer months when the Arkansas Department of Education threatened consolidation into a neighboring district. Instead, the state took over control of the district, ousted the school board and named Smith as superintendent.
A loss of 100 students would reduce state money for the district by more than $580,000.
Arkansas Education Commissioner Ken James said in July when Smith was appointed that he would be watching enrollment closely.
Greenland is classified in fiscal distress for declining end-of-year balances. The district ended the 2007-08 school year in the red and the state education department projects a negative balance at the end of the current fiscal year.
State law prohibits school districts from operating with a negative balance.
Some teachers who left for other jobs over the summer haven't been replaced if another teacher is certified in the same area as the departing teacher. The reduction of staff is saving about $200,000, Smith said.
"It meant changes for the staff but I found them to be willing," he said. "We started with more staff than the budget could support."
Smith plans to provide his first public report on the status of finances and other district issues at a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the high school cafeteria.
"It will be what's happening in the district at that time," he said.
One of Smith's goals is to lead by example, saving the district what expense he can. For instance, he purchased hand soap at Sam's Club for the administration building, paid for printing a first-day letter to faculty and staff and doesn't charge the district mileage when he travels to Little Rock for meetings.
In meetings with teachers or parents, Smith prefers to highlight the district's strengths, such as the performance of Greenland High School seniors on the 2008 ACT exams.
"I've felt a real positive spirit," Smith said.
At a Glance
Enrollment Totals
First-day attendance numbers show a slight increase in the number of students in school on the first day in most Washington County school districts. Numbers tend to fluctuate widely during the first two weeks of school before stabilizing after Labor Day. Oct. 1 is the first official enrollment report to the Arkansas Department of Education.
Washington County
School District 2008 2007
Elkins 1,139 1,137
Farmington n/a 2,100
Fayetteville 8,311 8,251
Greenland 765 n/a
Haas Hall Academy 118 87
Lincoln n/a n/a
Prairie Grove 1,634 1,628
Springdale 16,973 15,970
West Fork 1,256 1,251
Benton County
School District 2008 2007
Bentonville 12,100 11,824
Rogers 13,618 13,355
Siloam Springs 3,642 3,524
Source: Staff Report
At A Glance
Fundraising Events
Greenland School District patrons have organized several fundraising events to help bail out the financial strapped school district.
Aug. 30 - Benefit breakfast at Applebee's in Fayetteville, 7 to 10 a.m.
Sept. 12 - Community dinner before Greenland's first home football game at Greenland High School.
Sept. 14 - Benefit concert by the Little Aubrey stage band from West Fork.
Sept. 20 - Benefit dinner at Colton Steak House in Fayetteville.
Source: Staff Report
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