By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

As the city of Ellis grows, USD 388 Superintendent Bob Young said enrollment at both Washington Grade School and St. Mary’s School has “grown significantly.”

Young said both schools together have seen an enrollment increase of 25 percent more than was projected about eight years ago.

Just the USD 388 district grew by 11 students since December, and Young already knows of 12 additional students who are enrolling in the fall.

He said the vast majority of new enrollments are elementary-aged children from young families.

“Mostly it’s people that have moved from outside the area, most of whom work in Hays and bring their children to our schools, and commute back and forth to work.” Young said, “We just continue to grow as a bedroom community of Hays…and we welcome (new families) with open arms.”

Young said he often hears parents say they opted to live in Ellis because the cost of housing is less expensive than in Hays, adding a “handful” of students live in Hays, but their parents prefer the Ellis school district.

The need for extra space for elementary students was one reason cited when the USD 388 school board recently voted to move the seventh and eighth graders from Washington Grade School to  Ellis High School.