Demographer Confirms Mandan School Projections | Video

Kristin Clouston | 4/16/2012

Mandan Public Schools always expect students to do their homework, and the school district did some homework of its own before moving forward on a major project. The district hired the same demographer Bismarck and West Fargo recently used and were presented with a 45 page report on Monday.

The Mandan school district has been using Morton County birth records to predict school enrollment, and so far those projections have been on track.

Superintendent Dr. Wilfred Volesky explained, "We primarily hired a demographer to make sure some of the numbers we were giving to the public were in fact accurate. And I think by the work that`s been done, it`s proof our numbers were very conservative. But as we were telling people our enrollment for the next five years especially are going to grow significantly at the elementary level K-5, where we have our largest issue with space."

The district is expected to add nearly 500 students in the next five years. The superintendent says officials and board members wanted all the facts before deciding when and where they should build another elementary school.

He added, "We wanted this information, and when we start talking to patrons, we can say this is the information based on what we believe we need to have in order to offer the kids in Mandan the highest education product."

Board members will be combing through the material over the next couple weeks and Assistant Superintendent Mike Bitz will present any questions they have to the demographer.

The district has also put the old junior high up for bid again. Prospective buyers can bid on it for the next 60 days and board members have the option to refuse any and all bids. Community Works North Dakota wanted to turn it into senior and low income housing but the funding for that project fell through.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO BISMARCK STORIES