Enrollment is at capacity for Marblehead schools

MARBLEHEAD – Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac plans to discuss the financial impact of the schools? 46-student enrollment increase Thursday evening.The largest increase is at the Marblehead Village School, which saw an influx of 83 students in Grades 4-6, 39 of them in Grade 4 and 51 in Grade 6.However the pinch is also being felt at the Marblehead Veterans Middle School, even though on paper the enrollment in Grades 7 and 8 is 17 students less than last year.Dulac pointed out that school policy requires a class size of 22. Grade 7 has 220 students, or 10 classes of 22, but Grade 8 has 243, 23 students more than Grade 7.?The district is at capacity plus with no room to expand,” he said. “It?s taxing on the students, teachers, parents and everyone. We?re trying as best we can to make this happen, but we?re stretched to the point where we have to make a move.”Dulac said he doesn?t want to put a burden on next year?s budget either, since Selectmen and the Finance Committee are already warning town departments of large increases in health insurance and negotiated raises in Fiscal 2009.The one positive part of the picture for the schools is the source of the enrollment increase. An estimated 90-100 of this year?s new students came back from the Marblehead Community Charter Public School, and each one brings $10,000 in school aid with them. That?s an additional $900,000-$1 million coming to the general fund this year and the School Committee could tap some of that money at a Town Meeting.Dulac has already discussed his problem with the Finance Committee and those discussions are scheduled to continue.