Enrollment up at WHS

Enrollment numbers continue to rise at the two Whitehall secondary schools.

At the Board of Trustees meeting last week, Whitehall 6-12 Principal Hannah Nieskens said the enrollment at the high school is now 139 after recently adding two freshman and a sophomore. She said they also added a student in the middle school, bringing the sixth to eighth grade total to 86.

“It‘s exiting we are getting more kids,” Nieskens aid.

K-5 Principal Britt McLean reported a total attendance of 182. He said there are 26 in kindergarten, 26 in first grade, 32 in second, 32 in third, 30 in fourth and 31 in fifth grade.

The board accepted the resignation of Elementary Counselor Savannah Gendreau, who stepped down from her position September 15. The board approved the hire of Shannon Stevens to fill the position. She will start October 23.

In her monthly report, Nieskens told the board she attended a conference October 3 with several area principals. She said during the conference at Manhattan High School, a K-9 search of lockers and vehicles took place. She said Whitehall is the only school from the group at the conference not running dogs through the building and parking lots. Nieskens said she was interested about the board’s perspective on the issue.

“Ultimately if people are upset, you are the ones who are going to hear about it,” she said.

Board member James Reiff asked if there has been a drug problem at the school, and Superintendent John Sullivan said he could not remember an incident in the past three years.

Sullivan added if there was a problem with drug use, he thinks they should run the dogs at the school.

Nieskens said she would not be comfortable searching cars in the parking lot, but would be okay with searching lockers.