The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education held a work session Monday evening at the High School, during which there was discussion on a couple of matters, but no action was taken. Atlantic Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said Design Alliance Architect’s Jerry Purdy presented the Board with five different concepts for the remodeling and/or expansion of the district’s facilities, based on input from teachers, staff and the public.

Amstein said Dena Goplerud also spoke to the about what she could do as far as providing facilitator services to district for further meetings with the public and others with regard to the expansion and/or remodeling options.

The Board tabled a Technology Update from District Technology Coordinator Roger Warne until their next meeting in November, due to Warne having a family emergency. They did however, hear a presentation from the Model Employment Team (MET) who reported on a grant the district received from the State of Iowa. He says Atlantic was one of just four such districts in the State to receive the grant. The grant focuses on employment skills for Special Needs students within the community. The presenters spoke about the possibility of expanding the program this year into the following school year.

And, Dr. Amstein said their certified enrollment this year shows 1,431 students, which he says doesn’t reflect students who are open-enrolled or home schooled. That number is what they are required to provide to the State as far as resident students are concerned. Amstein said when you look at actual enrollment numbers, including those that are “tuitioned-in,” the count shows about 1,643 students, which includes preschoolers. That includes about 140 kindergarteners. He said they are down a little bit in the 4-year old preschool program, and 6 or 7 students in the Special Education preschool program. Amstein says those numbers typically go up before the Spring count.

In the Fall of 2012, there were 1,611 students.