By Joel Phelps
The Arkadelphian

Enrollment in the Arkadelphia Public School District is up by nearly 100 students compared to the 2020-2021 school year, according to preliminary numbers announced Tuesday evening at the Board of Education meeting.

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Arkadelphia Superintendent Karla Neathery told the board during her report there were 1,861 students enrolled in the district during the first few days of school, although she noted districts typically wait 10 days to release the final figure.

Neathery later told The Arkadelphian that last year’s enrollment was 1,774 students — an increase of 87 pupils. “We are excited about the possibility of growing,” she said.

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The class that saw the largest increase was the freshman class, with 162 students starting this year, and the kindergarten class was on the other end of the spectrum, at “close to” 120 students, district principals reported during the meeting.

With 22 new teachers across APSD, Neathery said it was “very exciting to go across the district and check on those people. It’s exciting to see new faces.”

Also in her report, Neathery applauded the recent vaccination clinic in which 71 people received a COVID-19 shot.

Across the district there are seven active COVID cases, and 20 students have been sent home for quarantine. There are 39 students across the district enrolled in virtual courses.