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Wilmette SD 39 enrollment shows small increase; projections predict modest elementary gains
Summary
District staff reported a small uptick in fall 2024 enrollment (+41 students from 2023) and presented five‑ to ten‑year projections showing generally stable enrollment with modest elementary increases; the report noted new local housing developments that could add students.
Tony DeMonte presented long‑term enrollment charts to the Wilmette Public Schools board on Nov. 18, saying fall 2024 showed the first small enrollment increase after eight years of declines.
DeMonte reported the district’s fall enrollment was up 41 students from 2023 and noted kindergarten participation reached a recent high this fall. He said districts monitor several community indicators — including rental occupancy and home sales — to understand future enrollment. For example, a newly constructed 100‑unit rental at 2010 Central Avenue is now at full occupancy and has added four students so far; a planned 128‑unit condo development at 721–739 Green Bay Road could also add students, although developers’ opinions about student yield vary.
The presenter reviewed school‑level projections: elementary schools are generally projected to increase slightly over the next five years, Highcrest Middle School projections will fluctuate modestly, and Wilmette Junior High School is projected to remain relatively stable or show a slight decline. DeMonte also noted longer‑range (10‑year) projections from a private forecasting system that predicted an increase of about 125 students over a decade.
Board members thanked DeMonte for the thorough report and said the projection that enrollment will remain broadly stable for the coming years is reassuring given capital investments in classrooms. DeMonte flagged other local changes that could affect numbers — including the sale of the Sacred Heart Convent property near Harper Elementary, which could be redeveloped as senior housing or subdivided, either of which may have limited effect on student counts depending on use.
