With the first week of the new school year in the books, Fountain Hills Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sweeney has announced that enrollment is looking better than expected.

In a report to the Governing Board during the Aug. 9 regular meeting, Sweeney explained that first week attendance for the local district totaled 1,484 students.

“That’s up two students from the end of last school year and up 30 from our projections,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney explained that projections are based on following expected attendance from one grade to the next, subtracting the outgoing seniors and adding in the anticipated incoming kindergarteners.

While attendance tends to fluctuate through the first several weeks of school, Sweeney said the District takes this as a positive sign. All told, about 20 more students than expected reported for class at McDowell Mountain Elementary School with the remaining 10 at the high school.

“We take that as a positive,” Sweeney added. “We’re looking forward to a great year for everybody.”