Warrick Schools Struggle with Burgeoning Enrollment

Parents with kids at Warrick Countys Sharon Elementary say its time for a fix to what they describe as an "impossible learning environment." "I do know we need an immediate fix," said Lisa Harris, a mother of two Sharon Elementary students. Surging enrollment at several Warrick County schools has administrators looking for ways to best allocate resources to ensure that kids arent losing out. The county is close to final approval from the state in its bid to build a new middle school in the Castle district. Once complete in 2009, the middle school will include 6th grade, moving it out of the ranks of elementary school and in to junior high. That will free up a good deal of space once the 6th grade classes are vacated, but its still at least two years off. In the short term, administrators plan to add more teachers and teaching aides, and are proposing a plan that would let parents of Sharon 4th graders move to nearby Newburgh Elementary for this year, to access the smaller class sizes. "Weve seen the large class sizes, and tried to put solutions out there that can minimize that impact," said Warrick Schools Superintendent Brad Schneider. Parent Lisa Harris succeeded in getting Schneider to consider a new plan to ease overcrowding in 4th grade at Sharon Elementary. At Tuesday nights meeting, she suggesting bringing in a new 4th grade teacher and a temporary classroom to house overflow students, thus easing the burden on all teachers and students. Schneider says he is glad to see parents taking an active roll in finding ways to fix a problem that doesnt appear to show signs of stopping. Warrick schools have grown in enrollment steadily over the last five years at about 1%, or by about 600 students, according to Schneider. That kind of growth requires constant attention to ensure resources are used wisely.