Marion County Public Schools officially kicked off the traditional school year on Monday, welcoming just over 40,000 of the county’s 46,697 students back to the classroom alongside the grand opening of a brand-new high school and new leadership across the district.
According to figures released by district officials following the first bell, 40,072 students showed up for face-to-face learning on day one. That figure represents roughly 86% of the 46,697 total students MCPS anticipated prior to the weekend, with district administrators expecting enrollment to steadily rise in the coming days as unregistered students finalize paperwork and report to class.
Under the district’s staggered-start program for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) and kindergarten, 2,882 young learners attended class on Monday in smaller settings before all elementary classes unite on Thursday…