WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | Chattahoochee Co. Schools Population Booming

Chattahoochee Co. Schools Population Booming

By Andrew Wittenberg  - bio | email | Twitter

CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, GA (WTVM) - It's not just bricks and mortar causing excitement in Cusseta these days.

Schools in Chattahoochee County are seeing student enrollment increase at a rapid pace.

The increase is due, in part, to military families moving to the area.

So, is it an early BRAC boom?

We've heard for years now about what will happen when people actually begin to move here because of base realignment.

For Chattahoochee County High School principal James Sims, this year's enrollment numbers may be a sign of things to come.

"I know when I first got here, they had talked about, we are going to grow, that the BRAC was going to happen and everybody had the same response, "Yeah, we'll believe it when we see it." Well, we're believing it because we're starting to see it," Sims said.

Student population at Chattahoochee County High School has grown by six percent in one year.

Last August, 430 students began the school year.

This year, 462 are in the classrooms.

Most of the additional students are from military families, and they're still coming by the day, according to Chattahoochee County School Superintendent Jimmy Martin.

"The day before yesterday, we had 20 kids enroll that one day. I think yesterday, we had approximately the same number, and being the first day, our numbers, we still have kids enrolling today," Martin said.

While Martin is quick to point out most of their growth will be this coming spring and next fall, a boost in students is a positive sign for this school system.

"Growth is good. It's a good thing. It means people are coming, it's a lot of good things for Chattahoochee County, it's good for our school, good for Fort Benning, good for Columbus," Sims said.