Marshall School is expanding for the first time in 17 years.
Fourth grade will be added to the fifth-through-12th-grade independent school beginning in the fall.
Enrollment inquiries have doubled since last year and applications have grown fourfold, said Michael Ehrhardt, head of the school.
"Marshall represents stability," he said. "The movement of facilities is exciting (within the Duluth school district), but it's also unnerving. Lots of people have to make choices, and Marshall is one of those choices."
One fourth-grade section, with a goal of 18 students but capped at 20, will be the first step. Ehrhardt hasn't ruled out adding other elementary grades as time goes on. The school has 422 students but was built to hold up to 800.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Space has never been a problem on this campus," he said, adding that part of the building is leased to Sylvan Learning Center.
The school is made up of middle and high school wings, so older grades are separate from the younger grades. But high school students mentor fifth- and sixth-graders, and younger students take part in things like pep rallies and other school spirit events.
Many parents who have younger children in other schools but older children at Marshall are excited about the addition, said Sarah Perry-Spears, director of admissions.
"Some people asked if they could send their deposits that day," she said.
Marshall's tuition for next year is $12,500 for middle school and $13,900 for grades 7-12. The school offers need-based financial aid.
Fourth-graders will become part of the middle school program, which includes separate teachers for math and science along with a home-base teacher for other subjects and daily physical education.
"Marshall is unique in that it caps classes," Ehrhardt said, noting that has been one of its draws. He's heard from interested families who are frustrated about class sizes at other schools, and the inability to know what class sizes will be next year.
Marshall experienced a large number of new students this year, with increases in grades five through seven and at the freshman level.
ADVERTISEMENT
The school recently conducted a parent survey that showed 10 percent of parents were alumni of Marshall, while 73 percent graduated from schools outside of Duluth. That bodes well for the diversity that Marshall is striving for, Ehrhardt said, and when universities, hospitals and businesses recruit employees, it's good for them to be able to offer several educational choices.
"A good choice could mean public, private or parochial," he said. "Our presence here is really healthy for Duluth."
