This afternoon during an extremely rapid zoom School Committee meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Sheri Mathews reported that the 2022-23 Weston Public Schools enrollment has reached 2,014 students, gaining 66 students since last year’s attendance-taking on October 1, 2021. You can see last year’s enrollment report here. There are still two openings at the pre-school level that are expected to be filled which would make enrollment 2,014+2= 2,016. Yes, I am a public school alum, why do you ask?

The kindergarten number is particularly stunning–there are going to be 9 sections where recent past classes frequently are 7 sections. As the mother of two 2025 students…the so-called “bubble class” but really a “normal-sized” class and every other class around it is actually small, I say “welcome to the jungle, Class of 2035.” Prepare to keep focused on class size numbers. And before any current SC member says what are you talking about, let me just say check the videotape from Field School 4th grade. Vigilance, my friend, vigilance.

School Committee Chair Ken Newberg called the enrollment “surprisingly robust.” I say, let’s go Weston Soccer! At this rate, we’ll. be able to register a couple of goals against our giant DCL friends, Concord-Carlisle, Acton-Boxborough and Lincoln-Sudbury. That will be new and different for tiny ol’ us. Not so tiny in 2035.

For those tracking, the so-called pandemic class (I am not in favor of this shorthand but this is the class that was in kindergarten when the pandemic smacked us) is now in second grade and their number is also up 8, while the third grade is up 4. I assume the detailed numbers will be discussed in future meetings but I am far too lazy to look at the upcoming agendas which are here.

Weston Public Schools’ first day of school is Wednesday, August 31 unless you are a kindergartner and then you get to “entertain” your parents for one more day. See you soon, kittehs.