CAMPBELL, Ohio (WKBN) — Many schools in the area have seen student enrollment numbers drop over the years, but in Campbell, the school district has seen a trend of numbers growing.
School is back in session in Campbell, and the district has seen another bump in the student population. Their primary grades are 20% higher than other grades in the district, a trend they’ve been keeping their eye on.
“Specifically at the primary grades, when we started to recognize there’s over a hundred in each class, kindergarten, first and second grade,” Campbell Superintendent Matthew Bowen said.
To put that in perspective, the district reported the following number of students:
- Spring 2021: 1,001
- 2021/2022: 1,043
- 2022/2023: 1,096
For the 2023-2024 school year, they’re expecting to see over 1,100 students enrolled — the highest it’s been over the last five years. Bowen said it’s because the district is unique.
“We offer programs that may not be offered otherwise in other districts, and that is something that is really special about Campbell,” Bowen said.
“Our children have access to the public library on a weekly basis. Now, with Akron Children’s, we even have access to health care,” said Lisa Young, principal at Campbell Elementary and Middle School.
Bowen said the community helps bring in students to the school, with students whose previous generations also attended the district. But officials say they’re seeing it go beyond that.
“We have students from Florida, from Minnesota, we have students from Puerto Rico,” Young said.
“Regardless of your demographics and your backgrounds, we’re seeing our population increase — not just in one sub group over another,” Young said.
Young said that for the most part, they’ve been able to keep their staff together. But they’re looking toward the future and expanding.
“From the arts, from the academics, to the STEM opportunities, to the college opportunities. We have done that, and we have done that well,” Bowen said. “We’ve also expanded our physical space — and the next thing that we’re going to need to do is potentially expand even further.”
