By David Fleet

Editor

Goodrich-Student enrollment in the school district jumped by 21 students following the statewide student count day Oct. 5.

The fall count day is worth 90 percent of state aid to school districts which is about $7,500 per student. On Feb. 8, the spring count day, the district will receive the other 10 percent of the district funding.

Reid Elementary School increased from the 2015 count of 254 to 271 students along with Oaktree Elementary School which also jumped from 524 to 537. The only decline in students was the middle school which dropped from a 2015 enrollment of 518 to 494 in 2016. The high school enrollment also increased from 746 to 761 students.

“We have a staff and faculty that are very hard working making the district attractive to many families right now,” said Michelle Imbrunone, district superintendent. “We added an extra section of kindergarten this year to keep the class size down. The Leader in Me program at Reid Elementary School has also helped spark the increase in the lower grades.”

Imbrunone said housing market shifts have also added to the increase in enrollment.

“Interest rates are down so people are buying homes again,” she added.

The student count was mixed from nearby school districts.

Grand Blanc School District dipped by 80 students in one year from 8,322 in October 2015 to 8,242 in October 2016. Similarly, the Brandon School District dropped from 2,727 in 2015-16 to 2,604 on Oct. 5, a total loss of 123 students. Conversely, the Davison School District increased from 5,683 students to 5,820 students after the first year of a new balanced calendar school year.