Head counts on the 10th day of school across Northwest Georgia show enrollment grew in all but two school systems compared to the same time last year.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA ENROLLMENTHead counts on the 10th day of school in 2010 across North Georgia show enrollment growth in most systems compared with the 10th day of school in 2009.System 2009 2010 +/-(percentage)Catoosa 10,770 10,922 +152 (+1.4%)Chickamauga 1,316 1,370 +54 (+4.1%)Dade 2,492 2,477 -15 (-0.6%)Dalton 6,861 6,993 +132 (+1.9%)Walker 9,266 9,255 -11 (-0.1%)Whitfield 13,401 13,431 +30 (+0.2%)Six systems 44,106 44,448 342 (+0.8%)Source: Northwest Georgia school districts
Chickamauga City Schools grew the most by far, with a 4.1 percent jump, followed by Dalton at 1.9 percent and Catoosa County at 1.4 percent.
Conversely, Dade declined by 0.6 percent and Walker dropped by 0.1 percent, officials said.
A year ago, Whitfield school officials said the system was reaching a plateau in enrollment and that appears to have held true this year. With more than 13,000 students, the system experienced virtually no jump with 0.2 percent growth, amounting to a 30-student bump from 2009 to 2010.
In Chickamauga, the growth stretches the system's current capabilities.
"We are about at maximum capacity with the faculty that we have," Chickamauga Superintendent Melody Day said.
The three-school district grew by 54 students for a total of 1,370 pupils systemwide. Chickamauga Elementary had 10 more students this year than last, Gordon Lee Middle grew by 23 students and Gordon Lee High by 21, enrollment counts show.
A reduction in Chickamauga's faculty increased class sizes this year and forced some equipment shuffling at the beginning of the year. But the enrollment increase is spread evenly enough that it should not cause a problem with students' access to technology, Day said.
The town's population is increasing and that has some impact on enrollment, she said.
In Catoosa, enrollment growth has kept up with the steady growth of the county, school spokeswoman Marissa Brower said.
"We have seen consistent increases in enrollment over the years," she said, and this year's increase appears to reflects typical recent growth in Catoosa.
Walker County spokeswoman Elaine Womack said the slight enrollment drop there mostly stemmed from job losses and a poor economy. Several manufacturing businesses have closed or reduced their workforce in the county in recent years.
Fairyland Elementary in Lookout Mountain, Ga., stopped taking out-of-district students, which contributed to the decline in enrollment there, and North LaFayette Elementary's decline was probably linked with the closure of the Blue Bird bus plant, Womack said.
The fluctuations amounted to very little change overall, she said.
Dade County's enrollment has dropped continually over the last five years, according to Superintendent Patty Priest.
The decline reflects the impact of the poor economy and Priest speculates that the community also might be gradually transforming into a "retirement community," with fewer young families with children.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/BenBenton.