To administrators' surprise, Camden and Rockport flipped a trend of diminishing enrollment that has affected their elementary school for the past five years.

The School Administrative District 28 School Board received a report from Camden-Rockport Elementary School Principal Theresa Lash indicating that the number of students increased at her school this September by 29. The report was included in the board's pre-meeting packet Friday, Sept. 14. CRES educates students in kindergarten through sixth-grades at its new school on Route 90 in Rockport.

<p style="float: left; width: 150px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0; padding: 5px; background-color: #fff1dd;"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium;">School Administrative District 28 meets Sept. 19, at 7 p.m., in the atrium at the Camden-Rockport Elementary School (CRES)</span></p>

"While some of our former students moved over the summer, our enrollment has still soared to 377, up from 348 on the last day of school in June," Lash wrote.

While those numbers sent staff into storage digging out additional desks, the overall enrollment of 734 in SAD 28, which comprises CRES and the Camden-Rockport Middle School, remains far below what it was in 2006 — when it had 864 students. Enrollment at the middle school remains low this year, with 357 students; 82 in the fifth-grade; 102 in sixth-grade; 86 in seventh-grade; and 87 in eighth-grade.

According to Lash, many of the new elementary school students signed up in the two weeks prior to the start of school.

"Class sizes now range from 17 to 21," she wrote.  "We are feeling stretched in many ways, from the sheer number of meals to serve at lunch to the increased wear and tear on the bathrooms. Additional furniture has been brought out of storage to accommodate the needs. Higher enrollment is also having an impact on the bus routes."

Thankfully, the increase is distributed over the grades," said Superintendent Elaine Nutter, in a phone conversation. "I think we are in pretty good shape in each of the classes."

Lash said 25 percent of the new students are from out of state; 21 percent from Maine; 21 percent from RSU 13 (Rockland area); 15 percent from the Children's House Montessori School in Camden; 10 percent from SAD 40 (Union, Washington, Warren, Waldoboro and Friendship); 6 percent from Union 69 (Hope, Appleton and Lincolnville); and 2 percent were formerly homeschooled.

"Several of our new students have special education programming," wrote Lash.

Nutter said that she had multiple conversations over the summer with families exploring the idea of moving to Camden or Rockport.

"A lot of families are looking to move to this area, either to rent or own [a home]," said Nutter.

Enrollment in SAD 28 had been declining since 2008. In 2009-2010, it was 745; last year, it was 737. This month, at the start of the 2012-2013 school year, it rests at 734. Still, that is up from what administrators projected earlier this year while compiling budgets. At that point, enrollment this year was estimated to be 722.

While the district has lost some students, there is a net gain of students in the broader region consisting of Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport. Camden Hills Regional High School is reporting this September its own increase of 25 students, with an enrollment of 654. That number is down from a high of 719 in 2004.

The SAD 28 board meets Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the atrium at CRES, beginning at 7 p.m., for a regular monthly meeting. Besides hearing administrator reports about the beginning of the new school year, and discussing in executive sessions topics that include a request for an unpaid leave of absense, labor contacts and a modification to assistant principal assignment, the board will revisit maintenance issues at the Camden-Rockport Middle School on Knowlton Street.

The board will also formally approve hiring Lynda Pierce as a new kindergarten/first-grade teacher at CRES, as well as Kisha Marsh as a one-year substitute teacher to fill in for fourth-grade teacher Kristen Suscello, who is on a leave of absence. Both positions are filled, each with a salary of $34,122.

"Both candidates were selected from a large pool of applicants, endured a rigorous application and interview process, and are unquestionably the best of the best," wrote Lash, in her note to the board.

She also welcome two more to the staff: Leeanna Cloutier, in the special education resource room, and Christine Nathan, as a part-time educational technician in the special education department.

PenBay Pilot Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657.