Jefferson High School Principal Mike Moodry was taken aback at the start of the 2022-2023 school year when he saw how many freshmen were walking in the door.
“We were expecting a class in the mid-50’s and got 73,” he said. “This was predicted to be a smaller class, but considering the amount we got the next two classes may be mid-70’s to mid-80’s. This means we will have around 300 students next year and will need to add some teaching positions.”
According to Moodry, about 99% of Boulder eighth-grade students go to JHS their freshmen year, while about 85% of Clancy graduates come to Jefferson. Around 20% to 25% of Montana City eighth graders head to JHS. This is in addition to around 10 new students who move into the district per year.
This school year, however, was not so predictable. Montana City, for example, had significantly more students choose JHS.
“The final count of Montana City students attending JHS as freshman is 20,” said Daryl Mikesell, Montana City School K-2 and 6-8 grade principal. “That is a much higher percentage (approximately 42% of the 48 total graduates) than we have had in the past. It’s great to see the numbers improving at JHS and I solely credit that to the work the school board, administration and staff have been doing to make the atmosphere at JHS very desirable for our students when they choose their high school.”
Clancy School Secretary Cami Robson – who also chairs the JHS board – said this is a trend she first saw shifting around 2016, and it’s only become more and more the case.
“I think the reason for this is that the extracurricular and dual credit offerings at JHS have been a draw,” she said. “I think also the opportunity to participate both in sports and the other extracurriculars, such as Business Professionals of America and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is enticing.”
As for Clancy schools, Robson said 31 of 43 students from the Cougar Class of ‘22 enrolled at JHS.
“Four of the 12 [students] that did not go to JHS were living in the Helena school district and went to their assigned schools,” Robson said. “The remaining eight went a variety of directions, including homeschool and Helena schools.”
Unlike Montana City, however, the number of JHS students enrolled from Clancy is actually down from the previous year.
“Normally the majority of our classes do go to JHS,” Robson said. “Typically the only ones that didn’t go to JHS are kids who aren’t in the district. We normally send most of our students to JHS but this year there were actually a few more that went to Helena than normal. Usually this is because the student is interested in a sport that is not offered at JHS, such as softball, soccer or swimming.”
Nevertheless, there is growth, and, with more students come larger class sizes, an issue that has been challenging not just for JHS. Boulder Elementary Principal/Superintendent Jeff Elliott said he’s also seeing an influx in students. According to Elliott, Boulder Elementary ended last year with 192 K-8 students. This month, the school started its year with 214 K-8 students.
“I honestly think it is because of a couple of reasons,” Elliott said. “One, the area is seeing more and more people moving in. It is a beautiful area and not as busy as larger cities in Montana, so you can still get the small town feel. Second, we have great teachers. We have had some students come in from surrounding schools just to be in some of our teachers’ classrooms.”
Elliott said primary grades – Kindergarten through second grade – all have more than 22 students. The seventh-grade class is now at 26.
“If we maintain these numbers we may have to look at a small bond to add a couple of classrooms,” Elliott said. “Boulder Elementary just paid off a bond two years ago that built the gym/cafeteria and updated the bandroom. Our school is in great shape, but we are just running out of space. Hopefully it slows down, but we have to have a plan in case it doesn’t…It’s good to have growth, but it can be hard on teachers.”
Moodry shares these concerns.
“I agree it is hard on teachers because they have increased class sizes,” he said. “Two or three students can really change the dynamic of a classroom, especially when you are trying to differentiate instruction for each student.”
Although Moodry said it’s good to have more students, the situation is essentially a blessing and a curse.
“Growth gives us more [Active Number Belonging, or state money], to provide better programs, but it’s a curse because we have to sacrifice some small school identity (small class size and individualized instruction),” he said. “We also have facility concerns as we continue to grow until we complete the building project.”
