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Wahoo Public Schools reports slight enrollment growth but a net 'option out' of 51 students; district advances mental‑health curriculum work
Summary
District staff reported a 1.38% overall enrollment increase but said 51 more students are opting out than opting in; administrators described work on a mental‑health curriculum and teachers explained the WEBS student‑support process.
Brandon, a district staff member, told the Wahoo Public Schools board that overall enrollment rose about 1.38% year over year but the district has a net option number of minus 51 — meaning 51 more students have chosen to attend schools elsewhere than have chosen to come in. "Our net option number right now is minus 51," he said, and noted the district currently has about 124 students optioned out and 73 optioned in.
The figures, Brandon said, represent the state reporting count through the end of September that is submitted at the end of October. He attributed much of the option movement to local geography and family choice: some district properties are distant enough that parents prefer closer schools; other families choose smaller schools or programs for academic or activity reasons.
Board members pressed for context on the numbers, and Brandon described how the district tracks option‑in and option‑out students and home‑school (exempt) counts. He said the exempt/home‑school total rose to 48 this year from 39 last year and that "we've got about 100 kids that could potentially be here that are not here right now," noting the district would face capacity pressure if many returned.
Beyond enrollment counts, the board discussed strategic‑plan work on student supports. Brandon said the district’s strategic plan includes Strategy 2.2 — developing a curriculum that addresses mental health and social‑emotional learning — and that a committee including school counselors and an ESU2 liaison is defining "foundational expectations" to present to administrators and then to the board after community input.
Elementary teachers Stacy Simson and Lisa Miller described WEBS (the Wahoo Education and Behavior Support System), a data‑driven process aligned with MTSS. "WEBS stands for our Wahoo Education and Behavior Support System," Simson said, explaining teachers document concerns and after three problem‑solving cycles convene a WEBS meeting with parents and staff to design interventions. Miller said the goal is early, frequent family involvement and that meetings typically happen every four to six weeks as needed.
The board asked staff to keep presenting the enrollment reports annually and to return with refined materials that help trustees interpret option trends and the impacts on facilities and programming.
