After years of planning, University Prep will be increasing its enrollment this fall. The growth will be gradual and take multiple years.
“[This growth] will allow us to continue to be the size school where we know every student and can help them and make sure that they’re engaged and feel a sense of belonging,” Director of Enrollment Management Ryan Hannon said. “And so I think that’s what’s great about this plan of growth…it is happening over multiple years.”
Director of Middle School Susie Wu says it will bring more diversity to UPrep. With more people, there would be more opportunities to meet different types of people.
“I do see that we’re sometimes a little small when it comes to like friendships,” Wu said. “That whole breaking up [from a group] and not being able to go sit with somebody else.”
According to Wu, expansion in the middle school will start with next year’s sixth grade. There will be approximately 10 more students. She says that this would mean another advisory and possibly another section of classes. Classes with five sections would have six.
Eventually, the middle school may need to begin having two grades meet at a time for assembly.
“And that changes the feel, you know? It’s not horrible, but it’s a change.” Wu said.
Wu says that the school is also looking to hire more teachers to keep the number of students balanced. They plan to keep class sizes the way they are now, with about 18 students per class.
Students have mixed reactions on the upcoming change.
Seventh Grader Kate Joneschild says that an increase in students won’t affect her much. However, she says that it would be nice to have more students to get to know and talk to.
Still, according to Middle School student Julia Cutting, there are downsides to having more students.
“One-on-one time with teachers. It’s… less directed toward like one person,” Cutting said. “There’s more teachers have to do with more kids.”
Cutting says that the school would be less close-knit as well.
“I think it’d be hard to get to know everyone” She said.
UPrep had 102 students in 1978. It now has almost 630 students. By 2026, it expects to have around 730 students.