In the midst of a huge spike in enrollment, Arlington Public Schools is looking for space to put students and teachers to teach them.
Almost 4,000 students have enrolled since 2008, and another 3,000 are expected in the next four years.
"Twenty-four kids in my daughter's kindergarten class, so I think it's actually becoming overcrowded as well, so we're a little concerned," said Sorhym Snyder, who said she loves raising her children in Arlington.
Administrators are trying to come up with solutions. The school district uses 121 classroom trailers. At McKinley Elementary School, they house the fourth and fifth grades.
"We have 550 students at McKinley,” Principal Colin Brown said. “The building itself, the brick-and-mortar structure itself, is slated for 435."
McKinley is one of three elementary schools getting an addition. Also, a new elementary school will open on Williamsburg Middle School's campus in 2015.
"It is a challenge to find places for new schools and for expanding schools because we just can't go out and buy green fields," said John Chadwick of Arlington Public Schools.
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Arlington is searching for new teachers to meet the demand. They plan to hire 150 to 200 for the fall.
"We hear loud and clear from the community that small class sizes or not any larger than they are now is very, very important to them," Chadwick said.
