Retrospect: School board reviewed its declining enrollment

Issues with school enrollment aren’t just a sign of the current times.

Thirty years ago this week, Jay School Corporation was facing a declining enrollment of more than 20 percent over a 10-year period.

On Sept. 21, 1987, the school corporation reported its enrollment for the 1987-88 school year was 4,426, a decline of 1,276 students (22 percent) from 10 years earlier.

From the 1986 enrollment numbers, kindergarten students saw the sharpest decline, dropping 43 students.

The high school students dipped by 42 students, and the middle school had 36 fewer students.

Grades one through six saw the number of students increase from 635 to 671.

(In the 30 years since, enrollment has decreased from 4,426 to 3,452, a 22-percent decline.)

Superintendent George Gilbert said while the number of students declined, the corporation would not be forced into getting rid of any teachers. He attributed that to Project Primetime, a state program designed to cut class sizes in primary grades. Project Primetime led to an increase in teaching positions at the elementary-school level. Also on the school board agenda was the board declining to move spring vacation from the third week in March to the last week of the month to help save a day at the end of the school year because of weather-related cancelations.

The board also applied a request of $15,000 from former Portland resident Gloria Sterling to support music and athletic programs as well as new playground equipment.