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Fewer students in Hernando, more shuffling of teachers

By Tom Marshall, Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, September 4, 2008

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ADVERTISEMENT [RON THOMPSON | Times] Lunch at Explorer K-8, which found itself with at least 200 students more than the number projected, is broken into multiple sessions. Officials will move 19 teachers to Explorer. The school is continuing to enroll gifted students.

BROOKSVILLE — The Hernando schools this fall may be facing something nearly unheard of, after more than a decade of rampant growth: fewer students.

Officials counted 22,504 students at school Monday, 328 fewer than they had projected for the 10th day of school. If enrollment doesn't pick up, that could mean less state funding for the district this year, said finance director Deborah Bruggink.

But even with fewer students overall, several schools are full to the brim as the year begins, and officials are scrambling to move teachers where they're needed to alleviate overcrowding.

Brand-new Explorer K-8, which was projected to hold 1,759 students for regular and gifted-education classes, found itself with 1,980 students on the 10th day. Many classes are double-sized and need a second teacher, said business services director Heather Martin.

"We're going to be moving 19 teachers to Explorer," Martin added. "They're over 200 more than was projected, and they're continuing to enroll gifted students."

Nearly every school in the district saw its boundaries redrawn last spring to accommodate the new school in Spring Hill, but officials say it was impossible to predict exactly how many families might move to the neighborhood and register over the summer.

Other schools will gain a few teachers — three for Nature Coast Technical High, four for Powell Middle, two at Brooksville Elementary and one at Suncoast Elementary.

Deltona Elementary will give up seven teachers it no longer needs, while Pine Grove and Spring Hill elementary schools will lose six each. Moton and Westside elementaries will lose five and three teachers, respectively, and West Hernando Middle will lose two.

Those changes should bring some immediate relief to schools that need more teaching help, Martin said.

But if enrollment doesn't pick up, the lower numbers may become an issue in the ongoing contract talks between teachers and the School Board.

Bruggink said she put aside $3.3-million to cover two possible shortfalls — a lack of student growth and an expected 2 percent shortfall in state funding. If both of those things happen, the district will still be able to afford the 3.5 percent raise and 1.5 percent health care boost it has offered the Hernando Classroom Teachers Association union, she said.

But if the district actually loses students compared to last year's final enrollment of 22,704, then it will need more than $3.3-million to cover the shortfall. That could force the board to reconsider its latest salary offer.

"Right now, whatever the board is offering isn't taking into consideration what I see as the worst-case scenario," Bruggink said, estimating the potential gap at $1.5-million.

HCTA president Joe Vitalo said he was keeping his fingers crossed for more students.

"History has shown these kids show up as October comes around," he said.

Tom Marshall can be reached at tmarshall@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1431.