When Dr.Cain Jagodzinski took over as principal for Fountain Hills High School in 2017 he was faced with a dilemma, declining enrollment.

In fact, during his first year, Jagodzinski gave a presentation to then Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeny that projected a gradual decline in enrollment each year.

However, Jagodzinski’s projections turned out to be wrong and even though enrollment is still a concern, FHHS numbers are holding steady.

Jagodzinski’s original projection for enrollment numbers this year (2019/20) was 474 students but actual enrollment today is roughly 510.

Jagodzinski says that it was the number of returning students and open enrollment (30 students) that keep the enrollment numbers from sinking to his initial projections but there has also been an influx of another type of enrollment, first-time enrollers.

“First time enrollments, we had 22 this year and last year we had nine,” Jagodzinski said.

Altogether there have been 61 new students that have been added to the FHHS community in the past two years. While student departures negated a little of that gain, Jagodzinski said he is very pleased that enrollment has held steady these past years.

“It is good because it has kept all my employees working,” Jagodzinski said. “So being able to go into the year knowing that everyone is going to have a position has been positive. It also gives me a little sense of achievement that we’ve been able to keep enrollment pretty close to when I got here, because I think it shows the fact that despite having fewer kids every year, we are doing some things right that attract them here to fill those holes.”

Jagodzinski said he believes that students have been attracted to FHHS because of its unique, small community.

“What I hope is that (people) like the climate of the campus, that it is very friendly and that we don’t have any major behavior issues,” Jagodzinski said, pointing out that, when he’s doing tours with parents and potential students, they take not of the fact that he speaks to the students they come across on a personal basis.

“Parents like that we know each kid, that we’re not just talking to them when something bad is happening,” Jagodzinski added.

FHHS has also had a lot of academic success in the past few years, such as an A+ rating, and Jagodzinski thinks that has helped a lot.

“Another option that I think helps is we have a lot of intervention,” Jagodzinski said. “Reteach, Power Hour and the Saturday program we do, I think those things have helped kids realize that, here, they can get a little bit of extra support.”

Jagodzinski said he is hopeful to see this trend continue as he and FHHS staff work to make the school one of the best in the state.