And she said that when she's at the shopping mall or in a restaurant, she smiles at any youngsters who look as if they might be middle school age, just in case they go to Creekland. She does know all 272 members of the faculty and staff, who gather once a month for a meeting. But teachers often don't know each other, unless they teach the same subject, grade, or are in the same community. Size Can Help Because teachers and administrators in Georgia are allotted to schools through a formula based on enrollment, Creekland can provide students with opportunities that are not available at other schools. It is the only school in the county that offers three foreign languages all year French, Spanish, and Latin.
More classes catering to gifted and advanced students are also available.
Creekland has an assistant principal who devotes most of her time to staff development, and teachers can be shifted throughout the school without increasing class sizes. The same formula, however, can also hurt large schools. Regardless of their size, schools receive state funding for only one secretary and one technology specialist. More activities for students also mean more opportunities for parents to be involved, said Ms. Stafford, the PTA president, whose three children have all attended Creekland. Parents volunteer as school greeters and often walk through the hallways as an added safety measure.