PRESQUE ISLE – Enrollment is up by seven students in SAD 1, and while that contributes to a slight upward trend in the last three years, officials said the numbers they’re keeping a close eye on are at the elementary school level.

Superintendent Gehrig Johnson presented on Wednesday night to the SAD 1 board of directors the district’s enrollment figures for the 2006-07 school year.

As of Sept. 11, overall enrollment was at 2,100. It stood at 2,093 in September 2005 and at 2,092 the year before that. Official enrollment numbers will be compiled in October.

“We don’t get excited that enrollment is up slightly,” Johnson said. “It’s the October enrollments that matter, and we’ll have to wait and see what those are.”

Last year, enrollment numbers were down by 12 students between September and October. Johnson said it’s the kindergarten to fifth-grade numbers that are significant in the September enrollment report.

The number of students in SAD 1 elementary schools was at 1,004 in the report, a jump of 39 students from last year at this time.

Numbers at the middle school declined by 36 from last year; at the high school, enrollment was up by four. Still, officials see positive signs.

“Those [elementary school] numbers are up significantly for the second year in a row,” Johnson said. “That indicates young families are moving in, and that bodes well for the future.”

Also during the meeting, the board:

. Heard comments from Bob and Sylvia Buob about their son Jacob, who they said is growing his hair out for a cancer-related organization. The Buobs said their son tried to join the cross-country running team and was told either to cut his hair or put it in corn rows if he wanted to participate in district sports, in accordance with school policy. The parents asked if, instead, he could pull his hair back into a ponytail during competitions. The board took the comments under advisement. The board would have to place the matter on the agenda in order to review and make changes to the existing policy. Johnson said the policy has been in effect for about 25 years.

. Discussed the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and received a draft of a resolution that considers opposing the measure. The resolution sets forth four points: that the TABOR will hurt local schools; reduce state funding for local schools; won’t work; and has unfair local voting procedures. Officials will choose whether to support, oppose or abstain from voting on the matter. The board will review the draft during its October meeting.

The SAD 1 board will hold its next meeting Oct. 18 at Mapleton Elementary School.