By Mike Anthony
Executive Editor
news1@callnewspapers.com

Lindbergh Schools’ first-day enrollment for the 2017-2018 school year increased by 141 students compared to last year’s official enrollment, according to Brian McKenney, assistant superintendent of human resources.
McKenney was scheduled to present the district’s first-day enrollment numbers for the current school year to the Board of Education Tuesday night — after the Call went to press.
Lindbergh’s first-day total enrollment for the 2017-2018 school year is 6,877 students, up from the district’s official enrollment of 6,736 students on Sept. 28, 2016.
In a memo to Superintendent Jim Simpson, McKenney wrote, “Please note that our official enrollment date this year is Sept. 27, 2017. Data collected at that time will likely be different from the first-day snapshot …”
At the elementary level, first-day enrollment totals 3,158, an increase of 78 students compared to last September’s official enrollment.
Middle school first-day enrollment totals 1,614, up 47 students compared to September 2016.
Enrollment at Lindbergh High School totals 2,105 students, an increase of 16 students compared to last year’s official enrollment.
In advance of opening the district’s newest elementary school this year, Dressel, the Board of Education voted in March to approve new elementary-school and middle-school boundaries, effective for the current school year. Under the approved boundary plan, 786 elementary students moved to different schools, while 350 middle-school students moved.
Elementary school enrollment on the first day of school this year was:
• Concord — 637 students. Official enrollment last year was 678 students.
• Crestwood — 444 students. Official enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year was 504 students.
• Dressel — 649 students. The new school was designed for 650 students.
• Kennerly — 455 students. Official enrollment last year was 470 students.
• Long — 494 students. Official enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year was 655 students.
• Sappington — 479 students. Official enrollment last year was 773 students.
The approved boundary plan evenly divides the district’s six elementaries between the two middle schools. Concord, Dressel and Kennerly students will attend Sperreng, while Crestwood, Long and Sappington students will go to Truman.
Middle school enrollment on the first day of school this year was:
• Sperreng — 911 students. Official enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year was 789 students.
• Truman — 703 students. Official enrollment last year was 778 students.
For the 2016-2017 school year, district officials originally projected enrollment would increase by 312 students, but the actual increase was 173 students.
Last October, Simpson attributed a lack of available housing as the reason official enrollment lagged behind the projected enrollment increase.
“What is slowing our growth down is a shortage of available homes. There is a tremendous short supply of homes for sale in our district … If you go out there on the market and say, ‘I’m going to get a Lindbergh house,’ you think you’ll have dozens to choose from. You’ll have almost none to choose from … because the second they come on the market there will be multiple bids,” he said, adding, “You end up not getting it.”
For the current school year, district officials projected an increase of 182 students.