By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

School crowding in Price Hill, and waiting lists for other Cincinnati schools, has led Cincinnati school district to consider adding 10 classroom trailers to four schools at a cost of up to $750,000.

The school board is expected to approve the trailers Monday for South Avondale Elementary, North Avondale Montessori, Pleasant Hill Elementary and Quebec Heights Elementary.

Voters defeated a $480 million bond issue for school construction in November and district officials will return to voters in May to seek support for the decade-long $1 billion facilities project. But the temporary classrooms would be needed even if the bond issue passes in May, district spokeswoman Jan Leslie said.

That's because the number of school-age children in some west side neighborhoods is up, causing schools to be crowded there, even though districtwide enrollment is declining.

In 2000, Quebec Heights in Price Hill switched from being a magnet school with a math and science focus to a neighborhood school, causing enrollment to jump from about 550 to about 1,000. Enrollment is now around 900.

Some Price Hill groups also say former public housing residents fleeing West End reconstruction are moving into the neighborhood, bringing more school-age children.

Schools are above capacity elsewhere.

The Pleasant Hill Elementary school building has a capacity of 450 students but an enrollment of nearly 700 students, while South Avondale has a capacity for around 450 students and an enrollment of about 510.

North Avondale Montessori, a 575-student magnet school, has a waiting list, Leslie said.

The district already has 129 temporary trailer classrooms, including eight classrooms at Pleasant Hill, seven at Quebec Heights and eight at South Avondale.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com