When classes begin at Meadowview Christian School in January, some elementary school students will have new classmates.

Headmaster Miriam Anderson said low enrollments in the school’s first four classes made it more feasible to have combined classes rather than continuing with four separate units.

“Due to the small numbers in those classes we are combining kindergarten and first grade and second and third grade,” she said. “Cost reduction, coupled with a lack of enrollment in those classes helped us reach that decision.”

The students, Anderson said, will maintain their regular curriculum and will not fall behind. The younger students, Anderson said, could possibly benefit from being with the older students.

“There are people that think it is an advantage, and certainly we’re not going to damage their education by combining classes,” she said.

The change will take place when students return to class in January and will continue through the rest of the school year. Anderson said parents of the students in each class have already been informed of the change.

“We have communicated with our parents and they are all ready to go when school reopens,” she said. “Everything is in place.”

For now, Anderson said the change is situational and could only be for the spring semester.

“We’ll evaluate class sizes again next year and hope very much to go back to separated classes,” she said.