Central Enrollment 4,349, 67% Increase in Five Years

CENTRAL — Enrollment in the Central Community School System reached 4,349 on Wednesday, according to Central schools Supt. Mike Faulk.  This represents a 67 percent increase since May 2007, when 2,600 Central students were enrolled in public schools in the East Baton Rouge system.

The enrollment numbers are up 281 from last year, and “We are still registering students,” Faulk said.

Faulk said he has visited every classroom in all five of Central’s public schools since the beginning of this school year.

He said, “The attitude of everyone is great.  The enthusiasm of the teachers is outstanding.  Even though they have been through a big move into the new schools, they are very, very positive.”

Faulk said that the 4,349 students include 4,220 who will count for MFP funding from the state.  Another 129 are pre-K four-year-olds, which have a separate source of funding.

The system has another six three-year-olds who are home-bound.

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Tanglewood Elementary. The opening of the new Central School Complex has had major changes for Tanglewood Elementary, the award-winning school, which has had the state’s No. 1-ranked 3rd graders for the past three years:

• Principal Sandy Davis and sssistant principal Jason Fountain have moved to Central Middle School, where they will serve as co-principals for one year.

• The 3rd grade has moved from Tanglewood to Central Intermediate School.

• The 1st grade has moved from Bellingrath to Tanglewood.

• Tanglewood has a new principal — an experienced educator, Kitty Taylor Ainsworth.