Slight decline in enrollment for area schools
by Trinity Gruenberg
Enrollment has changed this year with the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic with most area schools seeing a slight decline.
Last September, Verndale had 556 students. This year they have 512, with 443 in-person and 69 students participating in distance learning. A slight drop was accounted for with 14 students homeschooling this year and two attending online schools.
Bertha-Hewitt had 478 students enrolled last year. This school year their enrollment increased to 498 with 450 in-person learning and 48 students distance learning. Eleven students switched to homeschooling this year. The school attributed their growth to new families moving to the area and their staff.
“We have had two students who changed from in-person to distance learning after the first week because they felt it may be easier. We had eight distance learners choose to return to in-person. Each family has had their own rationale ranging from school has good protocols in place to the children needed more social interaction,” explained Superintendent Eric Koep.