Enrollment numbers hold strong above 600 mark

    For nine consecutive years, Chase County Schools’ K-12 enrollment has stayed above the 600-student mark.
    On Monday, the third day of 2022-23 classes at CCS, the enrollment topped out at 613 students.
    It’s an increase of one over last year’s enrollment of 612.
    Looking at enrollments the past decade, 600 students or more have been a constant at CCS, with the 2013-14 school year just missing that mark with 599 enrolled.
    CCS Supt. Adam Lambert believes enrollment here remains strong because people want to come here, and like the district.
    “We’re not declining, we are sustaining,” he said.
    Lambert talked to a woman from a school district nearby who was interviewing for a position and said her own children would like to be in school here. However, expensive housing and lack of it are issues.
    “Housing is the biggest hurdle for everyone,” he said.
    He’s also seeing more interest from parents across the Colorado border who are interested in having their children attend school here.
    Lambert said strong enrollment is also a testament to what CCS teachers do, “and our facilities here are outstanding,” he added.
    He also credited the CCS board of education for its approval of budgets that support teachers and school facilities.
    Looking closer at the 2022-23 enrollment, the K-6 grades have 305 students while students in grades 7-12 number 308.
    This year, the 7-12 classes have the same 308 students as last year, while the elementary classes increased by one.
    CCS has a large kindergarten class this year of 53, compared to last year’s 41. Those 53 kindergartners more than replace the 2021-22 senior class of 46.
    Overall in K-6, the fifth grade class is the largest with 56 students.
    Largest class in grades 7-12 are the sophomores with 62 enrolled. The eighth grade class isn’t far behind with 58.
    Referring to the 53-member  kindergarten class this year, Lambert said those larger incoming student numbers were anticipated a few years ago when he recommended adding more staff, most of which the board agreed to.
    He said they have adequate teaching staff now. The only position open for 2022-23 is a full-time para, he said.
    The transition to a new food service company is part of the new school year, and Lambert said most of the students and staff are enjoying the food.

    “Some love the food, some don’t,” he said. “I think the majority of the kids are enjoying it.”
    A big hit with older students and staff is the salad bar.
    The flow of students going through the food lines has improved, he said.
    On the capital improvement side, Lambert said they are still waiting for the installers to be here to put up the new playground equipment west of the school. Board members approved the $275,000 purchase the past year.
    Lambert said he’s been told it will be installed this fall.
    Two mini route busses that will be used are also on their way, he said. It was hoped they’d be here by the start of classes.
    The busses are built and in North Carolina, he said, where they are waiting for the air-conditioning installation.
    “They were built a little faster than expected and the air-conditioning company wasn’t ready for them,” he said.
    The school’s new maintenance truck purchased from Country Ford has arrived and now in use, he said.

2021-22 class numbers
Kindergarten    53
First grade    37
Second grade    44
Third grade    31
Fourth grade    37
Fifth grade    56
Sixth grade    47
GRADE K-6 TOTAL    305
Seventh grade    52
Eighth grade    58
Ninth grade    45
Tenth grade    62
Eleventh grade    52
Twelfth grade    39

GRADE 7-12 TOTAL    308
GRAND TOTAL    613

K-12 enrollments
past 10 years
2013-14    599
2014-15    613
2015-16    624
2016-17    634
2017-18    629
2018-19    622
2019-20    619
2020-21    619
2021-22    612
2022-23    613
Source: Chase Co. Schools, numbers as of Aug. 22, 2022.