First day fairly smooth for district

SANDPOINT — The first day of school went smoothly with just a few exceptions: New math materials showed up late.

"We were scrambling to disburse the new math materials that showed up today," said Superintendent Mark Berryhill.

The district is also again coping with overcrowding at Sandpoint High School this year.

The SHS student body has swelled to 1,300. Last year, 1,229 were registered at the same time last year. The school is designed to hold 1,000 people.

"We have a huge concern as far as adequate space for teaching stations," Berryhill said.

He anticipates the student population increase at SHS will peak in September and then decline. More students are staying in school than in years past, Berryhill noted.

Other schools also experienced increases. Farmin Stidwell Elementary's population was up 44 students, Kootenai Elementary by five, Southside Elementary by five, Sagle by two, Lake Pend Oreille High School by 17 and Clark Fork Junior/Senior High was up by five students.

Other school populations declined, Sandpoint Middle School most significantly by 66 students.

The school district anticipated the decrease, Berryhill said. Last year, 290 eighth graders finished school. Incoming seventh-graders numbered 260 students.

Hope Elementary School's population also went down by five, Northside Elementary by 12 and Washington Elementary by 12.