Student count down 23

A drop of 23 students was recorded during the first few days of school in Holyoke School District Re-1J, as compared to the first-day figures recorded one year ago.

That follows a three-student drop a year ago and a huge 31-student increase reported in 2019.

Students in grades 7-12 started classes Tuesday, Aug. 24, while K-6 started Wednesday, Aug. 25, and additions and deletions to class lists are still in progress this week.

As of Tuesday morning, Aug. 31, the total enrollment for K-12 was 571, down from 594 recorded at the start of the 2020-21 school year.

That includes 289 in grades K-6, a decrease of 23; 260 in grades 7-12, an increase of six; and 22 in Holyoke Alternative School, a decrease of six.

For state funding purposes, the actual student count is linked to the Oct. 1 enrollment, not this first-week count.

First-week counts in the district have been up and down in the last decade. They increased by 16 in 2011, stayed steady in 2012, dropped by 12 in 2013, increased by 20 in 2014, dropped by six in 2015, dropped by two in 2016, dropped by nine in 2017, dropped by 14 in 2018, increased by 31 in 2019 and dropped by three last year.

The student count at Holyoke Elementary School is 289, down 23 from a year ago. This year’s kindergarten class lists 47 students, while last year’s senior class started the year with 28.

Grade 7-12 enrollment shows 260 students, up six from a year ago. The 9-12 enrollment is 180, up 15 from last fall.

Holyoke Alternative School count was reported at 22 students, down six from 2020-21.

This year’s kindergarten class is the largest in the district with 50 students. There are 49 students in the freshman class, 48 in second grade, and 47 in seventh grade and in the junior class.

The fifth grade class of 32 is the smallest in the district, followed by eighth grade with 33.

Enrollment in individual grades during the first few days of school for 2021-22 follows:

Kindergarten 50, first grade 40, second grade 48, third grade 36, fourth grade 42, fifth grade 32, sixth grade 41, seventh grade 47, eighth grade 33, freshmen 49, sophomores 39, juniors 47, seniors 45 and alternative school 22.

Enrollment for the first week of school in past years compares as follows to the 571 count this year: 594 in 2020, 597 in 2019, 566 in 2018, 580 in 2017, 589 in 2016, 591 in 2015, 597 in 2014, 577 in 2013, 589 in 2012 and 589 in 2011.