There are lots of signs of growth in Denton ISD, and administrators are seeing one they predicted before the start of the 2023-24 school year. Denton ISD has already had to close enrollment in one of the elementary schools in the Braswell zone.
There are seven elementary schools in the Braswell zone: Cross Oaks, Providence, Paloma Creek, Bell, Union Park, Sandbrock Ranch and Savannah.
鈥淯nion Park is overflowing to Paloma Creek,鈥� said Denton ISD Deputy Superintendent Susannah O鈥橞ara. 鈥淭here are over 800 students. As a matter of fact I think they were close to 900 if not already over 900. Today, they鈥檙e over their functional capacity and we鈥檙e over flowing them to Paloma Creek.鈥�
O鈥橞ara said Sandbrock Ranch Elementary is also already over its functional capacity, meaning most or all classrooms are at capacity, which is determined by the state.
鈥淲e鈥檝e tried to close a couple of grade levels there,鈥� O鈥橞ara said. 鈥淭hey will also be able to overflow to Paloma Creek and/or Savannah.鈥�
The district is keeping tabs on enrollments at Cross Oaks and Providence elementary schools as well, with administrators working to keep classes in compliance.
鈥淧rovidence will have to close a grade level or two this week, and we are prepared to overflow Providence,鈥� O鈥橞ara said.
The administration wasn鈥檛 taken by surprise when it saw enrollments surge to capacity at the campuses, and the 2023 bond election will fund the construction of the district鈥檚 26th and 27th elementary schools in the Braswell attendance zone. The Braswell zone is the attendance zone experiencing the most growth, with both commercial and residential developments booming along the U.S. Highway 380 corridor.
Superintendent Jamie Wilson said the anticipated growth has included some slowdowns, but the district forecast the need for more elementary school campuses, with four new schools scheduled to open in the fall of 2024.
鈥淨uite often, you will you鈥檒l hear our demographers talking about things ... speeding up and slowing down,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淪o we have traditionally sped up or slowed down based upon the growth within the district, and how those things work together. When you when you hear the grade levels were closed in those two areas, that鈥檚 where those elementary schools that are slated to be opening in 2024 will be.鈥�
Enrollment
O鈥橞ara said that as of Tuesday afternoon, 32,479 students had completed the registration process to enroll at home campuses.
Freshmen went to their high school campuses on Wednesday, gathering at Denton, Ryan, Guyer and Braswell high schools for orientation and to locate their classes. The rest of the students begin classes Thursday.
鈥淓ach of those events will continue to generate more enrollment, more registrations,鈥� O鈥橞ara said.
Two days before classes began last year, there were 400 fewer students enrolled at Denton ISD campuses. The administration expects enrollment to increase through the first two months of the school year.
鈥淔rom two days before [school] to about 60 days into the school year last year, we increased by about 500 students,鈥� O鈥橞ara said. 鈥淪o if we were to apply this 鈥� those exact same metrics 鈥� we鈥檇 be up close to 33,000 in 60 days. So that鈥檚 good news.鈥�
