The number of freshmen in the class of 2020 has increased by about 50 students due to ongoing construction at Hillsdale High School.
Vice Principal Ron Berggren explains, “We are officially right now at 448 incoming freshman … [But] we are actually still, as [the start of school] rolls along, getting more students.”
Construction delays of buildings in Hillsdale High School limited the school’s ability to accommodate its normal intake of freshman. As a result, zoned Hillsdale residents will enter high school as Dons.
Berggren explains, “We didn’t really expect this until late in May when they started upping our school’s enrollment. We are supposedly capped at about 1590 [total students] right now. More [students were added] after school was over in June.”
Aragon faced concerns over class size capacities in its adjustment to this increase. Berggren says, “It just means an adjustment in teacher’s teaching schedules … But for the normal required freshman classes: PE, World History introduction, Health, we had to add teachers and add sections there.”
Despite the increasing teacher to student ratio, Berggren believes that the freshman educational quality will remain up to par, saying,” Everything is going to be the same. Our teachers make very good adjustments and will continue to work with all students. We have already adjusted and will continue to adjust over the next few years.”
Classes after 2020 will return to normal sizes at about 380 students. Berggren says, “the interesting thing is [that] we believe this is going to be a one time thing. So as the big group of freshman progresses, it always means we have to adjust along with them. The new teachers who teach Modern World history I may be going to have to move along with them and teach Modern World history II as they become sophomores. We’ll have to get extra teachers each year as we go through the four years they are there. We have been able to replace teachers that have left and retired and adjust other teacher’s schedules.”
However, the district may allow students to transfer back to Hillsdale once construction is completed.
