STRATTON -According to Sept. 6 enrollment figures, SAD 58 has seen a “fairly dramatic drop in enrollment” this school year, Superintendent Quenten Clark told the school board at its meeting Thursday.

The total student population dropped from 974 in the 2005-06 year to 925. The high school gained four students, going from 324 to 328, but the elementary schools lost more than 50 students.

“We have an enrollment problem, and it’s particularly severe in Kingfield,” Clark said.

Kingfield Elementary had a large class go to the high school that was replaced by only 13 incoming kindergarten students (seven of whom live in Kingfield), dropping the total to 153 students from last year’s 180.

Phillips also lost students with it’s enrollment dropping from 185 to 161. Clark said while Phillips’ enrollment decreased, it is stable in that there are 20 students in the eighth grade and 18 in kindergarten.

“In Kingfield, the four smallest classes are the four lowest grades,” he said, adding that it could eventually become the size of the Stratton school, which has 113 students, if something doesn’t change.

Stratton’s enrollment decreased by one student, and the Strong school actually gained a few students, going from 166 to 170.

Clark said he believes the reason for Strong’s increase could be that the town is becoming a bedroom community for those who work in Farmington but prefer the less expensive housing in Strong and like the school.

The overall enrollment decrease could be in part caused by retirees moving into the district’s communities instead of young families, he added. “The demographics aren’t working for us right now.”

Another reason for the decrease is the lack of industry in the area as several mills have closed in recent years, Clark said. Not only are people not moving here for jobs or moving elsewhere for work, but couples may be putting off having children because they do not have high enough paying jobs to support them. If the Poland Springs bottling plant does come to Kingfield and the company hires young people who have school-age children, then the school populations may go up, or “at least stabilize,” he said.

The enrollment decrease will cause the district to lose in state subsidy, but that is based on a three-year average of enrollment, so the loss will be somewhat gradual, Clark said.

In other business at the school board meeting, the board had its first look at a new policy regarding after-school activities.

The policy was written because of concerns Clark and Board Chairman Mike Pond had about students who are left at the school alone waiting for a ride after activities. If approved, the policy will require that the adult in charge of the activity must stay with the student until a ride arrives or delegate another adult, such as the principal or a custodian, to do so.