CPS enrollment down, attendance improving

At Tuesday’s meeting, Superintendent Janelle Helm shared a new enrollment report with Carrington School Board members. She said she plans to update the chart every month to illustrate how the numbers change throughout the year.

Helm reported that the district began the year down about a dozen students compared to last May. Grade K-12 enrollment totaled 554 as of Sept. 8. In addition, the Pre-K program is at its maximum capacity of 40 students.

The average daily membership for grades K-12 last year was 568.4, down from 556 in 2021-22.

However, attendance was better. On average, 31 students were absent from school per day last year. This is down from 39 absences per day in 2021-22.

Meanwhile, the district’s cost per pupil actually decreased, from $10,564 during the 2021-22 school year is $10,391.60.

“That’s really the number right there,” finance committee chair Kevin Wolsky said. The district’s enrollment makes it possible to gain efficiencies, he added.

Also in regards to attendance, High School Principal Connor Weber noted that the district’s new attendance policy appears to be working.

The high school started the year with 242 students, Weber said, and attendance is better overall. At this time last year, he had five students with five absences each a month into the school year, and this year only one student has been absent that many times.

A few students already have unexcused absences, and he said the administration and staff have been communicating with students regularly about their absences and the impact of truancy. Those students with unexcused absences, for example, will be required to take semester tests.

Board member approved open enrollment applications for four students, three from the NR-S district and one from Midkota. As Business Manager Kimary Edland explained, these students are returning to Carrington after attending under a no-tuition agreement in the past. The open enrollment applications only need to be approved once, while no-tuition agreements must be renewed annually.

The board also approved no-tuition agreements for another nine students from neighboring districts who want to attend school in Carrington: two from Pingree-Buchanan, two from Midkota, three from NR-S, and one each from Kensal, Barnes County North and Midkota.

Midkota will co-op with Carrington for girls’ wrestling starting with the 2023-24 season. The co-op was initiated by Midkota after a Carrington student who transferred to Midkota expressed interest in continuing to participate in wrestling. More Midkota students are welcome to join now that the co-op is approved. Families and/or Midkota School District will provide transportation to and from Carrington for practices and tournaments, board members say.

Helm will accompany three CHS volleyball players to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. She is doing so at the request of Mrs. Hansen, who will be traveling by bus with the rest of the students. The volleyball players will be flying so they don’t miss tournament play. The district tournament ends on Oct. 30, so they plan to leave Tuesday, Oct. 31 and return Thursday, Nov. 2.

The next regular meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 4 p.m.