NW Georgia News

There were 2,921 seventh grade students enrolled in Whitfield County schools in the 2022-23 school year, 5.3% less than the previous year, according to reports from the Georgia Department of Education.

Hammond Creek Middle School welcomed the largest number of seventh grade students among county schools, registering 1,154 students during the 2022-23 school year.

Within Whitfield County schools, the highest student count was found in ninth grade, with the smallest class sizes seen in fourth grade.

Statewide, Whitfield County ranked 21st in enrollment numbers, with a total of 38,313 students enrolled in the 2022-23 school year. It was also ranked 21st the year before.

While enrollment in Georgia inches closer to pre-pandemic levels, chronic absenteeism remains a serious challenge. In 2023, a significant portion of students (23%) missed 10% or more of their classes. Although this is slightly better than the peak of 25% in 2022, it's still nearly double the pre-pandemic rate of 13% recorded in 2019.

School name	# of 7th Grade Students Enrolled	% of Student Body	Total Enrollment
Hammond Creek Middle School	1,154	53.2%	2,168
North Whitfield Middle School	587	35.9%	1,633
Eastbrook Middle School	400	29.5%	1,357
Valley Point Middle School	282	31.4%	899
New Hope Middle School	254	27.9%	911
Westside Middle School	244	31.5%	775
Dalton Junior High School	0	0%	2,313