Acton Agua Dulce School District To the Vanguard News Home page 8-15-05 SANTA CLARITA -- With new campuses being completed and old ones modernized, school districts across Santa Clarita Valley have been getting ready for increases in enrollment this year.
This morning, on the first day of school, William S. Hart Union High School District expects 1,281 more students than last year -- roughly 20,000 in all.
School officials said the new Rancho Pico Junior High school has a projected enrollment of 658 students, which helps to reduce the number at Placerita Junior High School by 28 percent.
Golden Valley High School on the east side of the district, meanwhile, is expected to get 1,089 students and relieve overcrowding at Valencia High School, where a 14 percent enrollment decrease is projected.
"This is the first time in 10 years that school enrollments are going down while district enrollment is going up," said Sue Guthrie, the Hart district's director of fiscal services. "The two schools that were the most overcrowded in 2003-04 will be experiencing the greatest drop in enrollment."
While its new campus is being completed, West Ranch High School will open with ninth grade only on the Rancho Pico campus. Projected attendance is 739 students who are coming from Hart and Valencia high schools, as well as from new homes in the area, district officials said.
Rio Norte Junior High is expected to see increases of 330 students for a total of 1,091 this year.
District officials expect to continue relieving crowding into the 2005-06 school year as Ranch Pico enrolls more eighth graders while Golden Valley and West Ranch high schools add more grade levels. Each new high school will serve freshmen through seniors upon completion.
Enrollment projections are expected to be completed by October.
Meanwhile, other districts are seeing increases as well.
The Newhall School District will add 190 new pupils for a total of 6,892, an increase of about 3 percent from last year.
Stevenson Ranch Elementary will serve 1,000 new children, while Pico Canyon is projected to get 874.
Oak Hills Elementary School will likely take some of the pressure off when it is expected to open in 2005.
The Saugus Union School District projects about 10,550 to enter its doors. Last year there were 10,295.
Rio Vista and Rosedell elementary schools are under modernization construction, but will be open for school today, said Saugus School District Superintendent Judy Fish.
"We're in the final phase for both," Fish said. "It won't impact the start of school. There's a lot of excitement in the air, and we expect a very successful year."
Sulphur Springs Union School District, meanwhile, did not report projection figures.
Acton Agua Dulce School District
To the Vanguard News Home page