Atlanta School Enrollment

Monday, September 24, 2012

Schools in the metro Atlanta are overcrowded this year. Thousands of students’ first day of classes were fairly chaotic due to an underestimate by administrators as to the amount of teachers they would need according to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Close to 4,100 students in Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton and Gwinnett County schools showed up unexpectedly for their first day of class. Gwinnett made up half of the number of students that caused Cobb County to hire 30 extra teachers. Gwinnett is hiring 10, and transferred 16 teachers and 10 support staff. I photographed students as they arrived by bus, car and bike at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn. The school has consistently held the title of highest enrollment in Gwinnett County and the state of Georgia and usually ranks either first or second in the nation. This year, Hopkins has 1,800 students.

Amy McCurdy (center) greets students as they enter G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Marilyn Rushin (left) and Tressa Fouts greet students as they pour in the front doors of G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Students walk in the front doors of G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Principal Penny Clavijo (right) greets students as they exit the buses at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

A student empties her backpack of books and supplies and puts them in her desk as class begins at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 201

 

A student completes his morning work as another talks with principal Penny Clavijo at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

A student completes her morning work at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Fourth grade teacher Jacinth Grant (left) oversees her class’ morning math work at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012

 

A student completes his morning work at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Students complete their morning math work at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.

 

Students raise their thumbs up into the air as Jacinth Grant oversees her fourth grade class’ morning math work at G.H. Hopkins Elementary School in Lilburn on Monday, September 24, 2012.