The number of students in the Clinton County Schools, which also counts those who take classes at Foothills Academy, is down considerably early in the school year, compared to the end of the 2020-21 school term.

According to numbers compiled last week (approximately seven weeks into this school year) by Director of Pupil Personnel Julie York, overall enrollment in the district was down by over 100 students–114 to be exact.

At the end of last year, 1,669 students were enrolled. Through the first month and a half of this year, the total of students enrolled, through last Wednesday, September 29 ,was 1,555.

Enrollment showed decreases practically across the board, with three of four schools, plus Foothills Academy, showing decreases in early year enrollment.

Only one school, the Early Childhood Center, showed a very slight increase in enrollment through late September, by four students.

Enrollment at ECC, as of last week, was 226 students, which included 134 in kindergarten and 92 in preschool. This compared with 222 students at the end of last year, when the school had 118 in kindergarten and 104 students in preschool.

The school with the largest decrease in enrollment thus far in the school year is Clinton County Middle School, which has a decrease of 44 students compared to the end of the 2020-21 school year.

Enrollment at CCMS ended last year at 499 students, compared to 455 enrolled so far this year.

Clinton County High School took the second highest hit as far as enrollment decrease from the end of the last school year to early this year, being down some 37 students.

CCHS enrollment figures through late September showed 403 students enrolled, compared to a year ending 440 students at the completion of the 2020-21 school term.

Early student enrollment at Albany Elementary was down by 26 students through the end of the second month of school, standing at 431, compared to the ending of last year when 457 students were enrolled in classes.

The number of students enrolled in classes at Foothills Academy was also down by 11 students, from 51 and the end of last year compared to 40 through the early weeks of this year.

It should be noted that both the 2020-21 and thus far into the 2021-22 school term, the COVID-19 pandemic has been ongoing throughout both periods and probably had some affect on the lower numbers of students enrolled thus far this year.