Enrollment is up some 57 students for the St. Joseph School District, bringing enrollment to 11,530 for the 2013 school year. 

An increase in the elementary grades appears to account for the growth – the District is up 95 students in grades kindergarten through six, with a total elementary enrollment of 6,381.

A positive note is that the kindergarten class has 1,029 students, the second consecutive year of more than 1,000 kindergarten students.  Last year’s kindergarten class of 1,004 was believed to be the largest since the mid-1990s.

Among the elementary schools showing the most growth are:  Hosea, up 64 students; Pershing, up 37 students; and Humboldt, up 37 students.

Middle school enrollment shows a total of 1,740 students, down 36 from a year ago.  Bode Middle School shows the largest enrollment, at 536 students.

High school enrollment totals 3,271, down eight from 2012.  Benton reported 810 students, Central reported 1,634, and Lafayette reported 827 students.

Alternative school enrollment is 138, down six from last year.

The average class size in the elementary grades is 22.16.

This was the District’s third consecutive year of enrollment increases, all modest; the previous increases were of 20 and three students.