Shelby County Schools will have to make personnel additions to keep up with student growth.

School Superintendent Evan Major told the Shelby County Board of Education last week that the county schools were off to a &uot;really good&uot; start for the new school year.

But he also advised the board, &uot;Yes, we are growing.&uot;

Major said the school system appears to be experiencing another year of 800 to 900 student population growth.

He said last year, Shelby County Schools had a little more than 21,000 students. But as of Aug. 20, student enrollment stands at 21,757, he said.

To keep up with the increasing student population in Shelby County Schools, Major indicated personnel additions will be necessary.

&uot;Someone suggested we might put up a gate at the entrance to Shelby County,&uot; he joked.

Elementary and intermediate schools make up more than half the total of students in the school system.

A breakdown of elementary and intermediate school populations, according to the school board, is as follows:

Calera Elementary: 482 students &045; 81 kindergarten, 97 first grade, 82 second grade, 61 third grade, 77 fourth grade and 84 fifth grade; Chelsea Elementary: 893 students &045; 147 kindergarten, 147 first grade, 159 second grade, 148 third grade, 141 fourth grade and 151 fifth grade;

Creek View Elementary: 832 students &045; 195 kindergarten, 223 first grade, 218 second grade, 196 third grade; Elvin Hill Elementary: 526 students &045; 101 kindergarten, 86 first grade, 84 second grade, 91 third grade, 69 fourth grade and 95 fifth grade;

Helena Elementary: 537 students &045; 168 kindergarten, 181 first grade and 188 second grade;

Helena Intermediate: 496 students &045; 155 third grade, 179 fourth grade and 162 fifth grade; Inverness Elementary: 630 students &045; 144 kindergarten, 147 first grade, 175

second grade and 164 third grade; Meadow View Elementary:

801 students &045; 188 kindergarten, 198 first grade, 224 second grade and 191 third grade;

Montevallo Elementary: 631 students &045; 110 kindergarten, 115 first grade, 96 second grade, 98 third grade, 110 fourth grade and 102 fifth grade; Oak Mountain Elementary: 810 students &045; 190 kindergarten, 182 first grade, 200 second grade and 238 third grade; Oak Mountain Intermediate: 761 students &045; 358 fourth grade and 403 fifth grade; Shelby Elementary: 255 students &045; 32 kindergarten, 57 first grade, 38 second grade, 47 third grade, 42 fourth grade and 39 fifth grade;

Thompson Intermediate: 769 students &045; 382 fourth grade and 414 fifth grade; Valley Elementary: 593 students &045; 207 kindergarten, 194 first grade and 192 second grade; Valley Intermediate: 555 students &045; 201 third grade, 178 fourth grade and 176 fifth grade; Vincent Elementary: 472 students &045; 63 kindergarten, 77 first grade, 73 second grade, 95 third grade, 79 fourth grade and 85 fifth grade; and Wilsonville Elementary School: 194 students &045; 35 kindergarten, 31 first grade, 31 second grade, 36 third grade, 32 fourth grade and 29 fifth grade