Norwin may change the enrollment areas of its four elementary schools to prevent overcrowding, particularly at Hahntown.
Superintendent Jeff Taylor told the school board Monday he expects that a redistricting committee of 20 people will make recommendations next month on redrawing the boundaries for the elementary schools. The proposal — developed by the committee of administrators, teachers, principals and parents of elementary students — will review birth data and enrollment growth. The proposals would be available for public input at three board meetings, with a vote expected on Jan. 18, Taylor said.
In the past decade, Norwin’s enrollment has grown from 5,200 to 5,300, Taylor said. That growth created an inequitable balance of students the four elementary schools — Hahntown, Sunset Valley, Stewartsville and Sheridan Terrace. Those schools educate students in kindergarten through fourth grade and are located in North Huntingdon.
Norwin has not changed the boundaries for its elementary schools since the 2012-13 school year, a redistricting that was projected to last about five years, Taylor said.
Hahntown Elementary has 586 students, which exceeds the state Department of Education guidelines for its 550-student capacity, Taylor said. Not all of the students are in the building this year because some have opted for virtual learning, Taylor said.
“We’re running out of space. We’re seeing very large class sizes at multiple grade levels” at Hahntown, Taylor said, with all classroom space being used.
By comparison, Stewartsville has 459 students; Sunset Valley has 460 students; and Sheridan Terrace has 458 students.
Although some schools are approaching capacity for classroom and support spaces, others have extra available space, Taylor said.
Under construction are 22 single-family homes within Hahntown’s school boundary, with 61 homes planned for the neighborhoods served by Sunset Valley and about 200 more expected to be built in North Huntingdon in the next three to five years, Taylor said.
“Doing nothing, in my mind, is not an option,” he added.
