School principal Ignacia Demapan on Friday said they had 625 students in the last school year, but expect only 587 this year.
From over 100 kindergarten students, the school had only 55 enrollees as of Friday.
The biggest classes are in the third grade which will now have six sections and 115 students, Demapan said.
There have been a lot of families leaving Kagman to move to areas near the parents’ workplace.
“Many families in the area are also moving off-island,” Demapan said. “ They have found jobs in the U.S. and opted to relocate for good.”
She said they’re looking forward to the employment that the Laolao Golf project can provide to Kagman residents.
In 2006, lack of classrooms was the major problem at the school.
Demapan said this will be the first year that KagES will not worry about overcrowded classrooms.
Six additional classrooms were constructed last year, she added, and they’re being used by fifth graders and the special education program.
The school has 29 classroom teachers including a reading resource specialist.
Of this figure, 15 are highly qualified while the rest took their Praxis tests two weeks ago.
Demapan said their 32 classrooms are ready for the school opening and they intend to maintain a student-teacher ratio of 23:1.
Their cafeteria and eight classrooms will not have air-conditioning units, but Demapan said they will find ways to make the students feel comfortable during classes by opening windows and using electric fans.
Last year, KagES received $37,000 for its operations which included payment for fuel, security, supplies, drinking water, minor repairs of equipment and maintenance.
Demapan said because their budget is not enough, the PTA has continuously provided assistance to the school.
On Friday, maintenance workers were seen polishing the floors of classrooms.
This has never been done at the school for the past six years, Demapan said.
KagES accommodates kindergarten to fifth grade students.
