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DARIEN, Conn. Darien elementary schools will need to add five more classrooms after enrollment figures turned out higher than originally budgeted. The 2,334 enrolled elementary students is 75 more than the district projected it would have.
The Board of Education said it has enough funds set aside in its budget to accommodate two-and-a-half full-time teacher positions. The board will adjust the budget in September to make sure it has the funds to hire the extra teachers that will be needed.
Darien must add an extra third grade class at Holmes, a kindergarten class and a fourth grade class at Ox Ridge, a first grade class at Royle and a fourth grade class at Tokeneke. The administration has made sure there will be enough room in the schools for the extra sections. Materials and furniture may bring in additional costs, Assistant Superintendent Judith Pandolfo said.
This is a very unusual year, Pandolfo said. In her eight-year in the district, she said it was normal to have a couple of extra sections, but she said five is very high.
One possible explanation for the higher enrollment is the increase in families renting homes in Darien, officials said. Ox Ridge and Tokeneke were seeing more students from families that are renting their homes, Pandolfo said.
Surrounding school districts are seeing declines in enrollment, Superintendent Stephen Falcone said. But in Darien, more families are moving in, many of them from other countries. The district will pay attention to how many people are buying homes versus how many people are renting to see what impact it will have on the school district, he said.
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