Some elementary schools in the District 117 are growing while others are shrinking. 

That’s what current district enrollment projections are showing leading up to the 2010-2011 school year. Superintendent Les Huddle says Murrayville-Woodson Elementary may no longer hold the title of smallest school, while Eisenhower Elementary may be losing its billing as the city’s largest.

"Obviously we're seeing a student decline at North, in that neighborhood, and an increase possibly at Lincoln," says Huddle. "The sheer numbers tell you that there's a population shift from the outlying areas to maybe the internal part of our community."

Huddle says Murrayville-Woodson is typically the district’s smallest grade school, with one classroom from kindergarten through sixth grade. He says North Elementary might also be going to one classroom per grade, if projections hold up.

According to those same projections, Lincoln Elementary may be taking over for Eisenhower as Jacksonville’s most populated grade school. "We'll have some teachers we'll have to transfer to other buildings," says Huddle. "We're kind of being cautious keeping some positions open so they can transfer to a classroom or building where they're certified and qualified."

Huddle says the city’s economy may be to blame for the shift in numbers, citing the closing of the ACH and EMI facilities last year.

The projections aren’t official until next month’s registration.