Elma School Districts projections for enrollment were right on track with the actual number of students, according to Superintendent Kevin Acuff.

“Enrollment came in almost right on projections. Our budgeted enrollment was 1357, and our first count came in at 1355,” Acuff said.

At the school board’s budget meeting held in July, the estimated enrollment was 1,397 full time equivalent (FTE) students. Last year’s FTE was 1,377, while 10 years ago, the FTE was 1,770.

The enrollment is down slightly from last year and Acuff said he would attribute the dip to the normal fluctuations from class to class.

In other Elma school news, Acuff said that the first home varsity football game was a big success, despite the Eagles suffering a loss to Eatonville.

“It was really gratifying to be able to not have to bus our players, band and cheerleaders to someone else’s place,” Acuff said in an email.

At Montesano schools, enrollment was 1364. Montesano Superintendent Dan Winter said that number did not include Running Start students because those numbers are not calculated until October. Another 25 to 30 students may be added.

At the board budget review meeting held in July, the district based its budget on enrollment of 1,323 full time equivalent students, with last year budgeted at 1,260 FTE. The actual average enrollment during the 2015-16 school year was 1,341 FTE.

“We have gotten off to a great start. I am always very impressed with our staff in how they get right down to teaching on the first day,” Winter said. He added that it was great to have students back and to see their smiling faces as he walked through the schools.

Both Montesano and Elma school districts counted students in the second week of school, rather than the first because of the Labor Day holiday and the short first week.

In other Montesano school news, Principal Craig Loucks of Beacon Elementary said there was a noticeable difference in his school with the entire third grade class transitioned to Simpson Elementary School.

“On that first day with 116 less kids and their corresponding parents, it was pretty noticeable,” Loucks said. “We’ve hired teachers and reduced class size and we’ve got fewer recesses.”