Area schools are ready for more kids

By Harold Gwin

Officials anticipate a possible influx with workers transferring to the GM plant.

LORDSTOWN — The Lordstown school district is opening a newly remodeled elementary school this fall and there’s plenty of room for some new pupils, said Superintendent William Phaler.

“We would like to think there are some new people moving into the area,” he said, referring to GM Lordstown’s announcement that 1,400 jobs are to be filled late this summer as plant operations expand.

A fair segment of those positions may be filled by GM workers transferring here from other facilities that are cutting back operations.

“Living in the same community in which you work is a plus,” Phaler said, making a plug for some of those people to relocate to Lordstown.

“I think there’s going to be some opportunities for the housing market to recuperate a little bit,” he said.

Lordstown, rated “effective” on the state’s local report card, has 570 pupils. The district could handle an influx of 100, if they are spread out across the grade levels, Phaler said.

It’s unlikely Lordstown would get that many, he said, but an increase of 10 or 20 “would be a nice bump.”

“We do have room in Niles,” said Niles Superintendent Rocco Adduci.

At this point, there’s no way to tell if there will be an influx of new residents related to the GM operations, or if a significant percentage of any new residents would have school-age children, he said.

Nevertheless, Niles is prepared, he said.

The district has a transient pupil population now and always plans ahead by anticipating additional children on short notice, so a sudden addition of 30 or 40 children wouldn’t pose a problem, unless they were all in one grade level, Adduci said.

Niles, with an enrollment of 2,900, is rated as “effective” by the state.

The Warren City Schools could easily handle 100 to 200 new pupils, said Kathryn Hellweg, superintendent.

“We would be excited to have more students,” she said, noting that she has indicated to the unions at Lordstown that the district would like to reach out to new families coming to the area to inform them of the programs and opportunities Warren has to offer.

Warren, rated in “academic watch,” has an enrollment of about 5,800 and is undergoing some facility rebuilding.

Finding a place for new pupils “is a challenge we would love to have,” Hellweg said.

Lakeview in Cortland/Bazetta, which has been experiencing a declining enrollment over the last six or seven years, now stands at about 2,100 pupils.

The district could certainly handle more, said Superintendent Robert Wilson, estimating that between 100 and 150 could be accommodated if they are spread out across the grade levels.

He said he’s not anticipating any significant number at this point.

Lakeview is rated as “excellent” by the state.

“We’d be delighted to have some additional students,” said Kirk Baker, Jackson-Milton superintendent, calling the word of increased jobs at the GM plant “good news for the area.”

The district, rated “effective” by the state, has an enrollment of about 900.

Jackson-Milton is constructing a new 6-12 building now, so space wouldn’t be a problem, Baker said, estimating the district could handle an influx of 100 pupils.

“In most grades, we’d be OK,” he said.

Getting a sudden surge in pupils could be a problem in McDonald, said Treasurer Thomas Radabaugh.

“We’re pretty close to capacity right now,” he said.

The district, rated “effective” by the state, has a projected enrollment of 950 this fall and that includes 170 children from other districts coming in under the open enrollment program, he said.

An increase of 20 or 30 children could be handled, but a jump of 100 to 150 could cause problems, particularly at the elementary level, Radabaugh said.

Still, “It would be a great problem to have,” he said.

Howland, with 3,050 pupils, showed a drop in enrollment of 100 this year, said Superintendent John Sheets.

The district, rated “excellent” by the state, could easily accommodate 100 to 150 new pupils, he said.

gwin@vindy.com