In a surreal sense, the District #18 Board of Education was shown a game of numbers Wednesday night. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but a reflection of what is happening to rural schools across the state.
Principal Corey Fisher presented board members with a chart reflecting future activities enrollment numbers based on enrollment at the school on November 12.
For the school year 2008-2009, the nuymber reflect 64 boys and girls in high school. That breaks down to 25 girls and 39 boys. Enrollment numbers projected to the 2017-2018 school year would reflect just 39 students in high school (21 girls and 18 boys).
As board members reviewed the numbers, Fisher said in 2009 the school would only have enough boys to field a junior high football team with no substitutes. Seven years from now, he said the school will not have enough boys to play junior high football.
“For the next seven years, based on current enrollment, your numbers will be reduced by 25 students in grades 7-12,” he said.
