New Albany-Plain Local reports staffing hires, enrollment uptick ahead of school year

Superintendent Michael Sawyer told the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education on Aug. 11 that the district’s staffing and enrollment were largely set as the new school year begins.

Sawyer said the district has 63 people newly on its staffing roster for the 2025–26 year, including classroom teachers and administrative replacements, but he clarified that most are replacement hires rather than net new full-time equivalents. “We have 63 new employees who will join the school district to serve students and families for the 2025–26 school year,” Sawyer said, adding later that “they’re not new FTEs. Most of them are replacement positions.”

The superintendent said the 63 includes classroom teachers and classified roles, and that among teacher hires a large share are assigned to special-education support. Of the larger group of instructional hires he discussed, 23 were placed to work specifically with students receiving special-education services. Sawyer said the district is seeing a rise in students who require special-education services and in English-language learners and will present updated student-demographic figures at the Aug. 25 board meeting.

Sawyer gave enrollment figures the board can expect at opening: the district’s roster stood at 5,063 students the evening of Aug. 11 and he said the district expects that number to approach 5,100 once pending registrations are processed. He told the board the special-education population is approaching about 16 percent of total enrollment and that preliminary estimates place students eligible for free or reduced-price meals at “over 15%” for the coming year.

On the calendar, Sawyer confirmed staggered opening days for students: first-day attendance for grades 1–12 with last names L–Z is Monday, Aug. 18; grades 1–12 with last names A–K report Tuesday, Aug. 19; and all pre-K through 12 students attend beginning Wednesday, Aug. 20. Preschool and kindergarten students begin by individual appointment to complete state-required assessments on the first two days.

Sawyer also reminded families to complete online free-and-reduced meal applications and to use PaySchoolCentral to add funds for cafeteria accounts. He encouraged participation in the newly formed districtwide PTO and noted convocation events recognizing summer staff efforts.

The district will present a fuller demographic report to the board at its Aug. 25 meeting.